Dive into the Heart
by TeddyRuxpin
Summary: This is my own spin on the BirthBySleep. It's gonna be long. Took me forever. Might be some spoilers. IDK. boyOCxSora SoraxboyOC Don't hate unless you're willing to pay the consequences. Full summary inside. boyxboy, yaoi, love
1. Summary

Disclaimer: We do not own KH.

a/n: OMG!!! We're finally back!

a/n2: Indeed.

a/n: Alright, so this puppy took so much brainstorming between the two of us, my head is about ready to explode!

a/n2: Most definitely. This was a lot of hard work. I tried my very best.

a/n: And it's a damn good job, I'd say! Alright, so M for swearing and I dunno, fighting and other graphic nonsense. Um, its about boy character that we made up. It is a yaoi for any of you goofballs that decide to read and get a little pissy about it.

a/n2: Fo sho. The last time my friend wrote a story, it was bashed pretty hard by a gay hater, and that pissed me off. So, don't piss me off if you know what's good for you.

a/n: Cool. Okay my friends, as always, I insist: HAPPY READINGS!!!!!

* * *

Summary:

First of all, this story might be a little confusing to some, so read slowly and really pay attention to details. And, I may not do it justice in this summary, but please read it anyway.

Part I

Takes place after Kingdom Hearts 2 when the gang finally gets back to Destiny Islands. We are introduced to Ahiro, the shy, awkward, student council member that tutors Sora and Riku. This whole first part of the story is about getting to know Ahiro so if you want to wait until all the action starts happening in the second part, it'll be a while. I personally hate it when stories don't have a good base plot, and not that I'm saying this one is any good either. Just sayin' is all. Anyway, shortly after Ahiro befriends Sora and Riku, he starts having these weird dreams. What's all this about Chasers and Xehonart and Keyblade Wars? That's where Ahiro's significant role comes into play!

Alright, I'll give you the Part II summary at the end of Part I, on account of the fact that I might give stuff away if I say anything now! Haha. Also, I might be giving out some Birth By Sleep Spoilers, possibly, so YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!

Can Ahiro break from his shell and discover himself and his true identity before it's too late?! Find out in Dive into the Heart.


	2. 1

Disclaimer: We do not own KH.

a/n: First chappie! I'm so excited!! .

a/n2: Me too. I think that it's cute, and it really gives us a good first look at Ahiro.

a/n: He's pretty tight.

a/n2: ...

a/n: Whatever. You're just jealous that you're not as cool as me.

a/n2: ...

a/n: HAPPY READINGS!!!!!

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Ahiro's POV:

I've been in a shell my whole life; whether or not it was my Father or me that put it there is debatable. All I know is that before this year, I had no idea who I was. And then I met him. He made the first splinter in my thick shield, and throughout the whole year the cracks kept spreading, until I had completely broken free. I now know who I am, and what exactly I want. My only question is: Am I too late?

I want to line the pieces up…

I thought High School was going to be more or less the same as middle school. I mean, everyone was excited to finally be in the most awesome grown up place of our young teenage lives, but I wasn't. Personally I didn't really care. Or at least I thought I didn't, until I met the kids I was supposed to tutor. They had been gone for close to two years now, and only just managed to test into this year for school. They claimed they went on a trip with one of their fathers.

Yours and mine…

The principal came up to me the first day and had two boys in tow. He called over, "Ah, my boy! Ah…you there…ah…"

I mumbled, "Ahiro Sakuma, sir…"

"Yes, well, I wanted to formally introduce you to your students!" he said gruffly, motioning to the two goofy looking guys standing slightly behind him. When they noticed that he was talking about them, they straightened up and caught my eye.

The shorter brown haired one said gleefully, grinning from ear to ear, "I'm Sora Fujioka!"

"I'm Riku Takahara…" the taller silver haired one said softly.

I nodded and mumbled, "Nice to meet you."

I kind of remembered them from middle school. They had been a grade or two ahead I think. Then they just left without telling anyone. It was a huge scandal. The teachers said it was a family emergency out of town, but that just didn't make any sense. Where else was there but Destiny Islands. No one could really pinpoint a good story to stick with, so I lost interest in the scandal quickly.

I shook my head and headed off to the classroom for homeroom.

The school year had just started, and I was already swamped, I realized as I slid open the door. The student council needed me to handle all the preparations for the assembly the next day, the homework load I could sense would be nearly back breaking, and I had to tutor those two guys after club. I was tired before I even got past the front desk. Good thing it would only be review and mostly the usual stuff for the first day, otherwise I would have thrown myself out of the window right then and there.

I came in about fifteen minutes before the bell would ring; noticing that about half the class had gotten there. I quickly trudged past them to my usual desk at the back and settled in. It's by the window, so when I get bored I can easily day-dream. I like it, plus no one bothers me back here.

I pulled out my book after I sat down, pushed my glasses back into position and got lost in the pages. Even when the noise level grew as more people came pouring in, I stayed absorbed. I didn't even notice that someone was staring at me until I turned a page and caught a glimpse of them from over the corner of the book. I started slightly and blushed.

It was the brown haired kid from earlier. He was smiling at me, resting his head on his arms that were folded across the back of his chair. He then said suddenly, "You like that book a lot, huh?"

I blushed again and shut my book with a snap. I nodded and quickly averted my gaze. This guy was weird. What was his name again? I thought as he kept yammering. However, after a few minutes of non-stop chatter, his silver haired friend came in with a group of people flitting about him. They all swarmed over to where the chatter-box and I were sitting and one of them asked, "So you guys are new, right?"

"Kind of." The brown haired one said, cutting off his conversation with me, scratching the back of his head.

"So then it's true you're...older?!" one squealed, turning to giggle with one of her friends.

They both nodded, exchanging smiles as the bell rang. The crowd dispersed, but I heard the brown haired boy say, "Hey, let's sit next to Ahiro so we can have easy access to help if we need it."

And that's how the seat in front of me became occupied with the brown haired kid, and the one to his right seating the silver haired one.

"Alright, scholars!" our teacher Mr. Tenjo called out as he strode in. "Listen up! We've got a few announcements from the student council and some of the sports clubs and then you can have the rest of the period for free time. So be respectful."

I got up and stood by with the other council members as they made their introductions and such. I just said my name quickly and shuffled back off to the side so the president could make his speech. What's funny though is that he's not much of a president at all. He ran for the position as a joke and ended up getting in because he's so popular, so mostly it's the vice president and me doing most of the work (which tends to be a lot).

After the student council got done with our proposals and speeches, we listened to the soccer club, art club, basketball club, and the archery club. They all rushed, knowing that the sooner they got done, the more free time we would get.

When they had all finished, the teacher sat and ignored us for the rest of the time. I just sat and stared glassy-eyed out the window for practically the rest of the day, only turning my attention back on when I was asked a question.

After classes were over and we had cleaned everything, I went directly to the student council room for club. It was long, and the president kept throwing out ideas that he wanted accomplished. Ugh. After club was up, I stuffed all my work into my bag and made my way to the tutoring rooms.

The two guys showed up about five minutes later, both laughing and joking loudly. I wished faintly that someday I would find friends like that. But, I quickly shook that off and concentrated. They noticed me sitting at the desk and the brown haired one came bounding over.

He came to a stop right next to me and bowed deeply, saying, "Thank you sempai, for teaching us!"

The other boy came over too and also gave a bow (a considerably smaller one). I blushed and stuttered forcefully, "N-no! It's f-fine!"

I shook my hands and flushed still more, shying away at the discomfort of the situation. I saw the taller boy smile down at his friend, and move to sit down on the other side of the table. And, after a few more unnecessary issues of thanks from the other guy, he sat down too.

I pursed my lips and brushed myself off, turning my attention back on the task at hand. I mumbled, "Okay, so we'll start on math first since that's both of your weakest points in the curriculum."

We had been working for nearly fifteen peaceful minutes before the annoying one decided to open his mouth again. He put down his pencil and gazed across the table at me. I looked up and gave him a look that said: And why aren't you working? But he just smiled and asked, "I'm sorry, but…what's your name again?"

I looked back at my own book work and mumbled, "Ahiro Sakuma…"

"I'm Sora Fujioka, in case you forgot!" he said. He then threw an arm around his friend's shoulder and exclaimed jokingly, "And this is Riku Takahara!"

I didn't reply. I just glanced up at his goofy grinning face, and stared. I finally said softly, "You're doing the first problem wrong…"

"Eh?!" Sora shouted, thrusting his nose in between his books, searching frantically for what was wrong.

I just shook my head. Riku's gaze caught my eye and we stared at each other for a moment. Then, he smiled. I hurriedly looked back to my work, and only spoke when they were in need of instruction. I get the feeling that Riku is the type of guy that understands a lot more than what he's letting on. It's odd. And I'm not quite sure what to make of it.

But I didn't think on it again until three weeks later after having our tutoring sessions every day after school. I was cleaning up, making sure that we didn't leave any stray pieces of paper or books behind, when Riku turned to Sora and said softly, "Isn't Kairi waiting for you? Go on. I'll finish cleaning with Sakuma."

"Oh! You're right! Can't be late!" he cried out, scrambling up from under the desk, hitting his head along the way. He started running out calling, "I'm going on my first date with Kairi! Yeah!"

"Who's Kairi?" I asked bending to grab my book bag.

Riku came to stand by me, holding a handful of textbooks and said, "It's his girlfriend. They just started going out yesterday."

"That's great." I said, smiling weakly.

"Yeah, he definitely worked hard to get her." He sighed, throwing away something. "He deserves every ounce of love in the worlds, that guy…"

I gazed up into his shimmering far-away eyes, wondering just what he was talking about. Before I could think any further however, he seemed to snap out of the weird daydream he had been in and realized just who he was talking to.

"Well, see you tomorrow, then!" he said, stacking the last of the books. He turned and waved over his shoulder, then suddenly stopped and said, "You should focus more on Sora with the teaching. I can do fine on my own…he's the one that really needs it."

Then he was gone. And, for the next couple weeks, I devoted most of my tutoring time and energy into helping Sora. It worried me at first, but after class one day, Riku showed me a test score he had gotten. It was better than Sora's. And while Sora was whining over in a corner, Riku turned and gave me a quick wink. I just grinned.

"Ne, Sakuma?" Sora asked one day, scratching his head with his pencil.

I looked up from my book, pushed up my glasses slightly, and raised an eyebrow in response. He asked, "What do you think about a girl avoiding you, for seemingly no apparent reason?"

"…um, well, I guess it could be that she's embarrassed about something. Or maybe you said something wrong." I answered carefully. His frown deepened.

He leaned back dangerously in his chair and sighed, "I don't get it. What could I have done wrong?"

"Kairi?" Riku asked passively, not raising his head from his studies at all.

"Yeah…she keeps getting all irritable, avoiding me, and hanging out with her new group of friends lately…" he said frustrated. "I don't get it."

Both Riku and I gazed pityingly at our friend, both thinking the same thing: "She's gonna dump him soon, and he doesn't even see it…"

I then got an idea. I said, "Hey, why don't you get her a gift!"

His ears pricked up and he leaned over the table towards me and nodded, "Okay…what should I get her?"

His blue eyes bore into my own searching for the answer. I flushed and drew back, stuttering, "W-why not some flowers?"

Sora pondered then turned to Riku and asked, "You agree?"

Riku nodded and it was settled. Sora would go out and buy her the nicest bouquet in the market and "make-up" with her. He absolutely had to drag me along to do it, and I thought that it was none of my business, but he insisted. "You're my sempai!" he said, giving me his big-eyed look.

It was fun while we were there; surprisingly so. I had no idea that a popular guy like him, and a nerd like me would actually be hanging out. Technically it was gift shopping for his girlfriend, but still. We laughed and joked, and I actually got to know him. He made me feel like…myself. I can't even describe it properly. All I know is that it was the best feeling I've ever gotten.

He was so excited when he saw the "perfect" bouquet for her, that he practically dragged me over to it. When we had gotten done paying, we said our goodbyes. He smiled widely, his eyes sparkling in the sun. I grinned back, really sad that this had to come to an end. I snuck a peak over my shoulder at him as I was walking away, and could have sworn he did too. I hope everything will be okay with his girlfriend. He does deserve the best.

The next day they broke up.

And he didn't come to school for almost a week, and when he did show up, he was a mess. He was practically a zombie! I definitely didn't like this side of him. And I prayed that he would snap out of it soon. I missed my friend. One of my only friends…

I got so frustrated with him during my lesson, that I ignored the fact that his girlfriend just broke up with him, and I whacked him on the back of the head when he decided to go into depressed mode and ignore my instructions.

"Hey! What the-"he yelled, glaring up at me.

I just glared right back and cried out, "Come on, Fujioka! You gotta pull it together! I don't come down here to teach you guys for nothing!"

He just blushed and looked away to his textbook lying open in front of him. I continued passionately, "You have to keep it together! Not only for the sake of your grades, but yourself! What do you think she's thinking of you right now?! Snap out of it, and be the old Fujioka again!"

I breathed heavily for a moment, the awkwardness in the silence mounting. I finally blushed, sat down, and started writing vigorously.

More silence, and then I heard a soft chuckle. Sora said, "Thank you, Sakuma…"

I glanced up and saw he was smiling warmly across from me, a glazed-over look in his eye. I just grumbled, "Yeah, whatever. Just hurry up and study."

"Yes, sir!" he exclaimed, smiling still.

After the lesson was over and the two had left, I could breathe again. It was always so nerve-wracking to be around them! I sighed, pushing up my glasses and making my way to the door. It's not like we're Best Friends or something. Psh. As if.

I made to open the door, but it was already flying open before my hand could reach the handle. Next thing I knew, I was practically tackled onto the floor. I lay starring up at the spinning ceiling for a moment wondering at my luck, when I recognized the person's voice.

"I'm so sorry! Are you alright?!"

It was Sora. I groaned and sat up, realizing that my vision was blurry. My glasses had gotten knocked off. I started feeling around for them, listening to Sora still babbling out apologies and trying to gather the contents of my bag that had also been knocked from my grasp and been strewn on the floor. I finally interjected, "It's really okay! No big deal!"

"Here you are…sorry again." He muttered placing my bag next to me.

"Thanks." I mumbled, still skimming the floor with my fingers in the search for my glasses.

"Here they are!" Sora called, reaching over by the door and taking them up. He came back over to me saying, "Yeah, I realized I forgot one of my books, so I came back…"

"I thought it was yours." I said pulling it out of my bag. "I was going to give it to you in class tomorrow."

"Thanks. Oh, hey, Riku and I were talking…and we're going to have a guy's night this weekend. Do you think you wanna go?"

He had forgotten to hand me my glasses, but I squinted up at him in disbelief anyways. I finally managed to gasp out, "Sure! That'd be great!"

"Good. Here…" he said, suddenly remembering my glasses.

He strode up to me and asked, "Do you ever wear contacts? 'Cause these are huge! And your face is so small. I just thought-"

He cut himself off as he came near and I gazed up at him, reaching for my glasses. I said, "I have them. I just never wear 'em. My Dad doesn't like it when I wear them, so I don't put them in. Plus, I guess they're just kind of a hassle. I mean they're itchy, and you have to actually put them in, they're-"

But suddenly his hands shot out and pulled my face up slightly. My eyes widened as I saw how close our faces were. He asked in complete awe, "Ahiro…did you know your eyes are big…?"

I rolled the said eyes and nodded. He continued staring and muttered, "They're…really pretty!"

I punched him off. He cried out clutching his nose, "What the hell?!"

"I'm not a girl! You can't say that stuff to me!" I yelled back embarrassedly. I quickly shoved my glasses onto my face and scooted back up against a desk.

He waved his hand annoyed and said, "No! You got it wrong! I was thinking…man; the girls would be all over you if they saw those puppies! They are TOTAL lady-killer material!"

I gaped over at him as he jumped up in excitement. That's something I never would have thought of putting in the same sentence: Lady-killer and me. I choked out, "Quit joking around, Fujioka!"

"No seriously! You should wear your contacts when you go out with Riku and me this weekend! We could try and pick up some girls!"

"N-n-n-n-no! I can't! That's crazy! No way could I do that!"

He just grinned and said, "But you already said you would before, so you can't leave us hangin'! Besides, you need to do yourself a little favor and get out from behind those glasses of yours!"

I just gaped up at him, not finding the right words to say. I probably should have smacked him harder earlier. He started dancing away just then, talking about how it was no use to say no, and that he was going to give me something decent to wear, and on and on. I thought I dressed fine. But, he was determined.

"See you this weekend!" he called in a sing-song voice, dashing off down the hall.

I sat dumbfounded on the floor. Thinking: What mess did I just end up in?

I took a couple deep breaths, brushed myself off, and got up. As I was making my way to the door, I noticed a stray book lying on the floor. As I picked it up, I just sighed, catching a glimpse at the title. As I started toward the front doors I wondered if Dad would be out this weekend so I could go. I opened the doors and was met by a brisk wind. It was definitely getting closer to winter.

I glanced down at the book in my hand once again, shook my head and started off towards home. I mumbled, "Stupid Fujioka. Forgot his book after all that…"

a/n: Ahahahahahahahaha!!! How fun was that?! Oh, btw, I decided that I wanted the seasons to change, at leased a little bit. Just for the sake of this story.

a/n2: I thought it was a stupid idea. I mean, they do live in a tropical place...

a/n: Shut up! Who asked you! You write, I think, remember?!

a/n2: ...

a/n: Sorry. I just like this story so much. It's like the one you just wrote recently. Was it a Dream? or something like that.

a/n2: Or something like that?

a/n: Hush. You know what I mean though. That one was your baby and this one is mine.

a/n2: Whatever.

a/n: Anyways, see you next time!!!

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	3. 2

Disclaimer: We do not own KH.

a/n: La-li-ho! 'Sup friends?! We're back! Hahahaha.

a/n2: ...

a/n: Alright, so in this chappie we're going to get a better feel of just who Ahiro is, and what goes on in his life. Hopefully you can already tell that he's a really self-concsious kid that doesn't really know what to make of his new friends.

a/n2: I tried hard to get him to act as normal as possible in the scenarios. I mean, like one of us would if Sora or Riku started hanging out with you!

a/n: 'Cause they're hot.

a/n2: ...yeah.

a/n: HAPPY READINGS!!!!!

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Ahiro's POV:

The last days of school were spent like any other, except for the fact that I had a huge billowing cloud of doom trailing over-head. I sulked as our English teacher droned on about the different conjugations of something or rather. I didn't want to go for three reasons: One being that it was just plain stupid, two being that my father was willing to let me go, but as long as I was home by nine, and three because I was most definitely going to make a fool of myself if it involved girls.

So, when the day arrived, I was a nervous wreck. Sora told me to meet him a little early so he could get me ready, so I made my way there about half an hour early. And when I found him, he immediately whisked me away to the bathroom so I could change into the clothes he picked out specifically. He then left me to change and put in my contacts to go get a reservation at the diner around the corner for later.

I shakily put in my contacts, then pulled the slightly too large clothes over my head. They smelled nice. Just like Sora I suppose. He gave me a green and white collared shirt with a beige sweater to wear over that. I walked out of the stall to look in the mirror, and thought: I guess it's not that bad.

I tried getting my inky black waves to lye a little flatter, but of course they stayed just as mussed up and my bangs kept falling in my eyes now I had no glasses to protect them. I gave up after a few failed attempts and made my way out. Sora was just coming over, so I called, "I feel stupid!"

He just laughed and came running up. But, as he got closer, his facial expression changed. I wasn't sure exactly what it could be described as, but I think the closest thing would be dumbfoundment. I blushed and wailed, "Great! I do look stupid! I told you this was a bad idea!"

"What's a bad idea?" a familiar voice asked from over my shoulder.

I turned and caught sight of Riku. He caught sight of me too, and for a moment didn't recognize me. Then he did the smallest of double-takes and gaped at me, none too flatteringly. I nervously tried to push up my glasses but realized that they weren't there. I feel so naked!

Riku recovered quickly and I asked, "How bad is it?"

He shook his head and said, "Sakuma…you look really, really…awesome."

My poor spirit felt a little better hearing him say that. But I pointed to Sora over my shoulder, who still hadn't said anything, and cried out, "But Sora doesn't seem to like it!"

"No! I do!" Sora exploded. I turned to look at him and he stuttered, "W-well…y-you do…I mean, I…uh…"

He continued muttering quieter and quieter as he slowly turned a deeper and deeper shade of scarlet and backed away from us. My heart swelled. I was so relieved. The three of us stood in silence for a while not knowing what to do, so I decided to go get us drinks.

I came back over to them frantically as soon as I got out of the store and said, "I really can't do this, guys! When I was in there these girls started talking to me in the line, and I didn't know what to say, so I actually stuttered! I must have looked like such a total idiot."

Sora burst into laughter. I glared at him and cried out, "It's not funny! Some friend you are!"

I started chasing him, trying to get his neck within range of my hands. As I passed by Riku, I handed him his drink quickly, saying faintly, "There you go…"

Our hands brushed and I saw him grin down at me, the descending sun casting him in shadow, and setting his silver hair ablaze.

I managed to catch Sora by lobbing his drink at the back of his head. He lay on the ground swearing and rubbing the back of his head as I fumed. Then, he jumped up and asked, "So, how about the movies first?"

The whole time we were out, it was a blast. I loosened up after a while and actually plucked up the nerve to get a girl's number, much to the amusement of Riku and Sora. And after she had walked away giggling with her friends, Sora came and pounced on me exclaiming, "He's a natural!"

At around eight thirty we found ourselves sitting up against a tree in the park. Sora still hadn't gotten over the fact that I got that girl's number so easily. He ruffled my hair and said, "You were most definitely the King Lady-Killer tonight."

I just blushed and stared down at the small piece of paper that had been slipped into my hand as she turned to walk away. I couldn't believe it, still. I was even considering calling, even though I had no idea of what I would say. But, I have the sneaking suspicion that Sora will do something about that too.

"Thanks for taking me out, you guys." I mumbled, tucking the paper into my pocket for safe-keeping.

The two of them turned and smiled. Sora yawned after a moment and said, "Well, I think it's time we headed home for some rest!"

He jumped up followed shortly by Riku. Riku extended his hand down to me and asked, "Hey, Sakuma? Where do you live? I mean, if we live close by, I could walk you home…"

Sora turned to fix his gaze on me as I was pulled up, and I answered tentatively, "Um, I live on 5th."

I saw Riku's face fall for a moment, then I heard Sora clear his throat, "That's right around the corner from where I live, actually."

"Oh. Okay. Well, thanks anyways Takahara. See you later." I said, turning to catch up with Sora. "Be careful walking home!"

He just waved and headed in the opposite direction. I caught up to Sora, and immediately he started talking. I had the feeling that he was trying to hide something, but I couldn't figure it out. After a while, we fell into silence. But it wasn't the awkward kind, it was companionable. I was glad.

When we turned down 3rd street, I finally said, "You know…I'm really glad I met you and Takahara. You're real good friends."

Sora grinned brightly and said, "Same here, and…you can call me Sora."

"Oh, okay…" I mumbled, blushing slightly. "You can call me Ahiro…"

Sora then blushed too, saying, "You know…whenever we talk like this, I'm always really happy. I think you're the first person that I've felt this comfortable around when I'm first getting to know them."

I just blushed more, and again tried to push up my glasses, forgetting that they weren't there. Sora then turned and stopped in front of me. My eyes grew wide as I gazed up into his bright blue eyes, and he muttered, "I know this is really weird and really sudden, but…I really do think of you as a Best Friend, now."

I thought my head had exploded. He said quickly, "I'm sorry, that was probably really weird! Just ignore that!"

"N-no! I mean, I don't mind…" I said hurriedly. "I get the same feeling about you."

Sora looked relieved. I don't know why he would be worried in the first place, though. I mean, it's not like my opinions about him were monumental or anything. But, all the same he relaxed again and we headed out.

As we passed down 4th street and got to the beach houses, Sora said, "That's my house."

"It's nice!" I said, gazing up the pathway to the quaint two story home overlooking the water. I then turned and pointed over the rooftops to the looming house just on the cliff. I mumbled, "That's mine…"

Sora gaped and could only say faintly, "Wow…"

"Hey, what time is it anyways?" I asked suddenly.

Sora looked down at his watch and then showed it to me. It read ten fifteen. I said frustrated, "Damn! I'm late!"

"Locked out?" Sora asked worriedly.

"Yeah, but I can just go to the shed out back. This has happened before." I said non-chalontly, shrugging my shoulders. I started walking in the direction of my house, and called over my shoulder, "Don't forget about your homework."

Sora gaped and caught me by the elbow saying, "What?! Hold on! I'm not gonna let you sleep outside! No way! Come to my house!"

I bit my lip. It's true my Father would be really mad and enjoy seeing me go out to the shed to spend the night, and it would be cold. I asked tentatively, thinking that prolonging the meeting with my Father would be wise, "Are you sure your parents won't mind?"

Sora just smiled sadly and sad, "My Dad died a long time ago and my Mom disappeared while I was gone, so I live alone."

I looked down at my shoes and muttered, "I'm sorry…I didn't mean…"

"Oh, don't worry about it! Mom and I weren't that close anyways. She tended to like her privacy…" he said quickly, leading the way to his front gate.

Soon, I stood in front of his house, gazing at the small path leading to the front door, surrounded by a wide array of wild shrubbery. The smell of the salt-water coming from the beach was strong as the gate was swung open neatly; much stronger than up at my house. Sora had already stepped past and made his way up to the front door, so he called over his shoulder once he saw me just standing there, "Come on in!"

I started and trailed after, heading through the door he left open. I stepped in timidly, glancing around as I went in further. It was quaint, very close together, but in a good way. And, everything was surprisingly tidy. I heard Sora rummaging in the kitchen and thought: I'm impressed. I imagined it completely differently.

"You want anything to drink?" Sora's voice said drifting over the sounds of him digging through the cabinets for another snack.

"Anything you have is fine!" I called back, stepping over to a bookcase. It wasn't full of books though, but pictures. There were so many! And each was of someone different. The backgrounds behind them were unfamiliar too, each one just as unique as the person.

There was one, however, that looked like it had been drawn. It was of a blonde boy in a black coat and another boy that looked just like Sora. They were holding hands. I wonder who drew it.

Just then I heard Sora's footsteps coming into the Living room and I quickly backed away, making it look like I had been looking at his collection of movies instead. Sora came up pressing a drink into my hand and said cheerfully, "Here you go!"

"Thanks…" I said, hurriedly taking the drink.

Sora noticed that I had been looking at the movies and asked, "Do you wanna watch one? Your choice."

I smiled.

Halfway through the movie, I glanced over at Sora and saw him cowering beneath the thick blanket wrapped around the both of us. He was scared stiff. It was just getting to the part where the bad guy was going to make his big entrance. I leaned over to Sora and said loudly over the screams, "You could have said you didn't like scary movies, you know!"

He scowled over at me and was about to retort back, but the bloody, hooked, zombie, saw freak jumped out from the shadows and Sora flung himself on me. He then buried his head into my chest and clutched tightly to my shirt, cringing every time there was a bang or a scream. But the scariest part of this was that I couldn't move. I don't know why, but as soon as our bodies connected and he was lying right on top of me in-between my legs, I froze.

What the hell? I thought as I got warm all over. Am I getting a fever?

And Sora didn't let go until later, but he stayed near me, just in case, occasionally grasping my arm. When the movie ended, I looked up at Sora just as he looked down at me. He cleared his throat and said squeakily, "By the way, I don't do well with scary movies…"

I laughed, and he joined in shakily after a moment. When I got done, he blushed and asked, not meeting my gaze, "Ahiro…can I ask you a favor?"

"Do you want me to check under the bed for you?" I asked, trying to stifle my giggles behind my hand.

He just punched me playfully and said, "No! Well…would you mind if I stayed in here with you?"

I immediately stopped laughing. I finally said, "Sure. It's your house. You can do whatever."

He smiled gratefully and set about trying to make it so both of us would be comfortable on his small couch. We figured it out after a while, and when we got done, I was definitely ready for some sleep. I was drained. It didn't take long for me to drift into a deep dreamless slumber.

When I woke up next, it was morning; the smell of fresh pancakes in the air. I lay there for a bit, trying to adjust my head to being awake again. It felt really heavy this morning. I slowly sat up, feeling my head pounding against my skull. I felt really gross today. Good thing it's our day off.

When I finally made it into the kitchen, it was to the sight of Sora making breakfast happily, humming a tuneless song as he went. He caught sight of my bed-head and smiled saying, "Oh! Hey you're up! It'll be done in a sec."

"Murnin'…" I grumbled, glad there was a glass of orange juice out. I had already downed it by the time Sora turned around to give me my pancakes. He then said, "Hey, sorry about last night…it's just those scary movies just freak me out."

"No, it's okay! Don't worry about it!" I said raspily, waving my hand at him.

He just smiled in relief, his manly pride restored. He then turned back and flopped a freshly made pancake onto a plate, and handed it to me gleefully. I grinned up at him and started in as he turned to make his own breakfast. It sucked though, 'cause every time I'd go to swallow a piece, I would have to struggle with it. It felt like sandpaper grinding together as it went down. I coughed and drank more juice.

I couldn't finish it. There's no question that I'm sick. I thought as I pushed my plate away and rubbed at my still throbbing head. I glanced out the window and saw dark clouds rolling in over the mountains in the distance. I got up then and figured I should get home before it closed in.

I started gathering up all my things, and with the help of Sora, I was able to get out the door while the rain was still a couple miles away. On the threshold I turned to Sora and said breathlessly, my items clutched haphazardly in my arms, "Thanks for letting me stay over, Sora. I had a really great time."

"I'm glad!" Sora grinned, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. "We'll have to do it again!"

I gazed up at him and smiled, "Yeah…soon."

We just stood there smiling for a moment, forgetting the rain clouds drifting closer. He really was a good friend.

"Well…see you!" I mumbled, finally breaking eye contact, and making my way down the path to the road.

When I finally made it to my house, completely winded from the climb up the steep road, I could feel the rain in the air. I shivered and headed to the great front doors, thinking about how wonderful it'd be once I got inside. But, as I neared the doors, I saw a note fluttering in the breeze. I tore it from the wood and hurriedly opened the envelope to reveal a letter in my father's handwriting. It read:

Son-

I have to leave for work overseas. I won't be back for a couple months. Someone will be over soon to retrieve the last of my things. They'll have the spare key and will arrive shortly after ten thirty.

P.S. We'll have a talk when I get back, about your ruthless behavior. Don't let it happen again.

As I got done reading the last few words on the note, rain drops splattered against the paper, making the ink smear and distort. My hands started shaking and I let the flimsy note fall from my trembling fingers. I then proceeded to slump down onto the welcome mat.

I held back the tears that wanted so badly to escape from under my eyelids, and wondered that same question that had been haunting me my whole life: Why does he hate me so much?

My head throbbed again and I glanced down at my watch. Five past ten thirty. They'll be here soon to let me in. I waited for about twenty minutes, in the rain and cold. Where the hell were these people? I thought angrily, shooting a hateful glance at the letter that still lay in the mud under the bushes. I got up and made my way to the shed out back, thinking that I'd wait in there until the people would come to unlock the door. But, of course my Father would have thought of that. He had pad-locked the door.

I cursed and kicked at it, now realizing what exactly my Father was going to do for the next couple months. That vengeful, hateful, bastard! He didn't just plan on talking with me when he gets back, but he would send me less money for food, constant chores, AND he didn't leave me a key to get in with! I do one thing wrong, in my entire life (an accident too), and I'm punished for it!

I work so hard just so he'll notice me! Perfect grades, perfect citizenship, never contradicting him, doing everything he asks, and I get nothing back!

I stood in the backyard, fuming about this for quite some time, and when I finally had calmed down, I noticed just how soaked-through with rain and cold I really was. It wasn't even raining that hard, more like a light drizzle, but how long had I been out here now? One hour? This is pointless. My Father probably told his henchmen to purposefully wait a while before coming, just to spite me.

I've had enough, I suddenly thought, making my way out of the yard to the road. I was planning on heading next door to Old Mrs. Amano's house to wait. Undoubtedly the men wouldn't come for a while longer. But as I was coming out from the side, I saw a car pull in to the driveway. Finally!

Two burly men came out of the car that looked like it should have been too small for them. I called over, "My Father sent you, right?!"

They said nothing. Instead, they just stared stone-faced down at me, and walked right past up to the front door. They towered above me by a good three feet, possibly three wide as well, but that didn't intimidate me. I trailed after them, and asked persistently, "Were you sent by my Father?!"

One turned to me sharply, sized me up (probably gauging whether or not he could punch me and get away with it) and growled, "Yeah. What the hell do you want Shorty?"

My blood started to boil and I barked back, "I want to get into my house, Big-Foot."

He snarled, "Lemme see some ID then, pipsqueak."

These were the kinds of men my Father always worked with. Damn underground dealing, ass holes that could get away with anything and make it look like an unrelated accident; pretty much the Yakuza. I quickly pulled out my wallet from my back pocket, thrusting my student ID in his face. Both of them grimaced at me, handed my wallet back, and pushed me aside.

I picked up my things and followed after, noticing that they left the door wide open. How considerate of them. I hurriedly shuffled inside, tossing my wet belongings on the threshold. I then took off my shoes with a squeak, and peeled my jacket off, placing them both in their respectful places. I slowly came to realize as I put on my house slippers and started making my way up to my room, that my throat had gotten worse. And the numbing rain had kept my actual temperature (which had risen) from my attention.

I was burning up. I stumbled up the stairs dizzyingly one at a time, my swimming vision making it all the more difficult. After I had gotten out of my soaked clothes and changed into my pajamas I heard the men grumbling as they slammed the front door. Bastards.

I proceeded to drag my feet over to the bed, and fall on top of the covers. I then noticed my nose had started plugging up and my body felt weak with a fever as I breathed heavily through my nose. A light sweat blossomed on my brow, the mounting heat in my head growing to become almost unbearable. But I noticed that the rest of my body was still ice cold and shivering.

I clambered under the blankets laboriously, feeling my head pound in protest to the sudden movements. I must have caught something when I was out with Riku and Sora yesterday. Man that came on really fast.

I fell asleep shortly after that, but woke up soon after in a cold sweat, and my head feeling like a balloon on the verge of bursting. I moaned nasally and tried getting up to go down and find some medicine, but I couldn't. My arms and legs shook with the effort of holding myself up, and I ended up falling back onto the bed. I thought dismally, Great. Now I'm in an empty house, sick, and all alone.

Suddenly, the phone ringing broke into my thoughts. I could barely move to pick it up. I noticed that the clock next to it showed the time to be four in the afternoon. I then shakily picked up the phone and brought it to my ear, pressing the "talk" button.

"Hello?" I asked, my throat disagreeing with just that one word forcefully.

"Can I…talk with Ahiro Sakuma, please?" the person on the other end asked unsurely.

"This is he…" I answered scraggily, my throat burning and searing with the effort of keeping up the conversation.

"Sakuma? You sound awful. Did you catch a cold?"

"Heh…thanks…" I whispered, my voice faltering. "I think so…"

"This is Riku." He explained. "Did you take any medicine?"

I managed to croak out, "No, I came home from Sora's and went right to sleep."

There was a pause and then, "You spent the night with Sora?"

"Yeah…" I said slightly irritated with not seeing the point of the question. "My Father locked me out again, so Sora said I could stay with him."

"I see…well, I was going to ask you some questions about the homework, but I can tell you're tired." He said softly. "Are you sure you're okay over there? You don't sound too good."

I couldn't speak. My voice had completely faded, and only a hoarse squeak came out. And I was getting sleepy again. I was tired of talking on the phone. The effort of holding the phone this long was already proving to be real bothersome, and I didn't want to mess with it any longer. I whispered into the phone, "Gotta go."

I then hung up on Riku and tossed the phone off to the side somewhere, falling back onto my pillows exhausted. Sad thing was that I wasn't able to fall back asleep. The pain in my head was almost unbearable, and it was making everything spin and meld together. It felt like I was laying there for hours, the pressure in my head making me feel heavy and light at the same time.

All of a sudden, I heard knocking coming from my front door, two voices calling out my name frantically. Then I heard the door open and the voices become more apparent. Those big thug bastards left the door unlocked?!

"Sakuma?! Where are you?!"

That sounded like Riku. I tried calling back, but my voice wouldn't allow it. He found me anyways. It took a while, but he found me. He came bursting in through my door a few minutes later, and when he caught sight of me, he stopped short. I must have been a pretty sight. My tangled, mussed up hair, my heavy stuffed up breathing, my legs tangled in my sheets, my body shivering and sweating at the same time. Nice.

Just then I heard the other person come sprinting down the hall calling frantically, "Did you find him?! Is he okay?!"

And then Sora came into sight, his eyes wild with what I assumed to be worry. Damn this is just one huge embarrassing mess. He paused for a moment taking in what he was seeing, and then nearly knocked Riku over in order to get to my bedside.

"Are you okay?! Can you hear me? Ahiro?" he gasped, practically running to my side and snatching up my hand.

Riku strode over too, but he laid his cool hand across my forehead instead. I could almost hear the sizzling of the steam coming from the contact. He mumbled, drawing back, "He's definitely got a temperature."

Sora stiffened slightly and placed his own hand on my head. I closed my eyes, wishing his cool, reassuring hand would stay there. But it quickly grew warm and was removed. The two then exchanged glances, a silent plan forming between them.

Sora stood up and started out the door, calling over his shoulder, "I'll find the medicine!"

I tried to protest, but Riku just shushed me and said softly, "We'll be right back. I'm going to go find the thermometer."

He quickly ran his hand through my hair, giving a soft smile. I blushed, but I don't think he noticed since I already had a slight flush from the fever. Why did they care so much? They were gone for a few minutes, the sounds of cabinets opening and closing echoing back up to me. Riku came back first. He had washcloths and a bowl full of ice water under one arm, and a thermometer and a glass of water under the other.

He set everything down and placed a cool washcloth on my head, also attempting to get a temperature reading. But it was difficult. I couldn't sit up enough, and I couldn't breathe and try to hold myself up at the same time. So he went back out in the search for more pillows. Sora came in just as Riku was heading back into the hall.

He dumped all the medicine out and started drugging me up. Riku came in during this and helped me into a sitting position. I hated feeling so helpless and vulnerable. It was really uncomfortable. I huffed and puffed out of the side of my mouth as the thermometer beeped. Somehow both of them had ended up on either side of my bed, watching me closely.

Riku went out after a moment to retrieve more ice water, leaving Sora and me in an awkward silence.

"Ahiro…how long did you wait out in the rain before someone came to unlock the door for you?" Sora asked darkly, not meeting my gaze. I blinked up at him blearily. That's when I noticed that he was soaked. I guess he had gone all the way down to his house to get me medicine. And, he must have found the note.

I just looked away, embarrassed, and whispered hoarsely, "An hour or so…"

He looked puzzled for a moment, then leaned in towards me and asked in his soothing voice, "What? I didn't quite hear you."

His bangs brushed up against me, tickling the skin on my forehead. I gulped, turning to whisper in his ear, "An hour or so…"

Sora leaned back astonished. He exclaimed, "Why didn't you go in the shed? Or come back to my house?"

I whispered, "Locked. Wasn't thinking clearly."

He was stunned. I just gazed up at him through unfocused eyes, the medicine starting to take its effect. I couldn't explain to him what I meant because Riku came in just then, but I think that he understood to a certain degree, because he held my gaze and I saw his eyes go from horrified, to understanding. He just smiled sadly and ruffled my hair.

Riku shot a glance at the two of us, wondering just what was going on, but he brushed it off and dunked the washcloth in the ice water. He then took out the thermometer and said worriedly, "It's a 102.3 fever. He needs more medicine."

They gave me even more medicine which sent me into a drug-induced, zombie-like stupor. I heard Riku say from far away, "Get some rest, now."

I felt a hand run through my hair again, and that did the trick. I passed out. I'd wake up periodically, catching glimpses and snippets of conversations. Of Sora explaining about the letter he found, of them doing their homework, of laughter. When I woke up fully, it was eleven at night. I noticed though, that I wasn't sweating or shivering. A start towards recovery, I guess.

The rain was still splattering against the window, the sound sharp in the dark silence.

I looked off to my left and saw Sora sound asleep, curled up on my couch nestled in a corner. I smiled as I saw how bad his sleeping posture was. That's when the dryness of my throat became apparent, and all the water Riku had brought earlier, was gone. I propped myself up on my elbows and got used to sitting up, then I slowly acclimated myself into standing.

I started shuffling out to the hallway, slowly, making sure I took my time. I finally managed to get all the way down to the first floor into the kitchen a little while later. I had to stop and catch my breath for a second, leaning heavily on the counter.

"Sakuma?" a voice called deeply from the shadows.

A shiver ran up my spine, and I tensed. I heard the person step closer and my heart skipped a beat. I was about ready to faint from surprise when I saw a hand reaching out from the darkness, but caught sight of Riku's familiar features in time to not faint.

"Sakuma?" he asked groggily. "You shouldn't be up."

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to wake you." I mumbled softly, coughing as the unfamiliar feeling of talking scratched against my throat.

He just waved a hand over at me to sit down and walked past to the cupboard that held the glasses. He asked, "You wanted water, right?"

I grunted, situating myself on a stool by the counter. He quickly filled a glass with water and handed it to me in silence, going back for another glass for himself. I chugged down the warm liquid and relished in the instant soothing it gave. I then thought as I watched him rubbing his eye slightly, I'm really glad the two of them are here. No matter how embarrassing it may be.

He sat down next to me and asked, "So…you feeling better?"

I nodded, glancing up at him. We sat in comfortable silence for a bit after that, me sipping idly on my water, and him starring absentmindedly off in the distance. He then asked in a low voice, "Do you and your Dad have problems?"

I stiffened slightly, not sure if I wanted to answer. I stole a look up at him and noticed him waiting patiently. I squirmed slightly and finally nodded. I don't know why but him actually asking the question out loud, made my emotions flare up. I'm sure it was just the drugs making me lose control of myself, but tears suddenly sprang up and threatened to fall. I bowed my head hurriedly and tried to hide the tears that I never allow myself to cry.

But to my dismay, Riku seemed to notice and he mumbled after a moment's pause, "I'm…sorry."

I just sat still, not wanting to let the tears fall. I then heard a rustling and felt a heavy arm slip over my shoulders. That was it. I started crying. He didn't say anything though, which I was extremely grateful for. I don't think I could have coped with embarrassment on top of this overwhelming wave of emotions. He just pulled me closer and let me sob into his chest.

I sort of dozed after I got done getting all my crying out. And he asked me from far away, "Sakuma…you should get some more sleep."

I nuzzled his chest, not wanting to move from the comfort (you have to remember that this wasn't my normal, healthy mind doing this). I then mumbled, "Call me Ahiro. It's stupid to be so formal, now."

He was silent for a split second, and then said soothingly, "Alright…Ahiro…time for bed."

Then he actually lifted me up into his arms, which brought me out of my drug induced stupor slightly, and started carrying me off to my room. I even noticed him grab my glass of water. He didn't even falter with me as he went up the stairs, and I dimly noted how strong he was.

When he stepped into my room I glanced over at the still sleeping Sora, curled in an even more awkward position than before. Riku then swept me over to my bed and placed me gently down, drawing the blankets up over my torso. But, as he pulled away my hand suddenly grew a mind of its own and latched onto his. He turned back startled and asked, "What is it, Ahiro?"

I wasn't quite sure. I just know that I didn't want him to leave yet. I had felt so safe. More than I had in a long time. I said weakly, "Stay. Please. At least until I fall asleep."

He stopped short, but after a moment he drew over a chair and sat down neatly by my side. I didn't even notice my hand was still clamped onto his. I just squeezed it tighter in appreciation and closed my eyes.

* * *

a/n: Sorry to cut it off at this point, it was getting really long, and my friend here doesn't seem to leave me too many places to take a break at. (

a/n2: ...

a/n: It's alright though. It's a good story, and that's all that counts!

a/n2: Sure thing. Anyways, hopefully this explains more about who Ahiro is and what he's like.

a/n: I think it does! You can definitely tell that he's just a stand-off-ish, shy, awkward, normal kid. I love him! I want him to be real just so I can smother him in a hug! Hehehehe!

a/n2: ...um, yeah. Creepy.

a/n: You're just jealous. I'm also glad we got to start getting a picture of what he looks like! I told my friend to make him seem plain on the outside, but really...I dunno, cool too.

a/n2: And my answer to that was plain black hair, not dyed, or spiked, or anything with a little bit of unruly wave to it, small, blends into the background, etc. If any of you know this manga called Nabari No Ou, he looks like the main character Miharu Rokujou. But his personality I tried modeling after this other guy in this other manga. It's called Sumomomo,Momomo and the guys name is Koushi Inuzuka.

a/n: And there you have it! Haha! Well, as always my dears, Happy Readings! See you next time!

* * *


	4. 3

Disclaimer: We do not own KH.

a/n: Sorry this took so long to get out! My friend was being a lazy bones.

a/n2: I wasn't. I just wanted to go over it again.

a/n: Yeah, and it took how long?! For-freking ever! No excuses!

a/n2: ...

a/n: Sorry. I just like this story. Ahiro is a cutie-pie!

a/n2: I should apologize too I guess.

a/n: Thank you. Well, here's the next chappie, sorry it's late, and thanks to the grand total of three people who have reviewed! It means a lot. Would you do the honors, friend?

a/n2: Sure...happy readings.

* * *

Ahiro's POV:

When I woke up, I was alone. And my head felt just as clear as it normally would. I blinked several times before I was able to register that it was morning. I then turned my head to the side thinking I'd see my friends, but they had gone. I felt a pang deep in my chest for a moment, but then noticed a note lying placidly on the chair that had previously occupied Riku. I took it up and read the letter.

Ahiro-

Riku and I went to school today! No slacking for us! Don't worry, stay in bed and get well. We'll bring you the homework for the day and some food too!

-Sora

P.S. You shouldn't work so hard. I think that's why you caught this cold. That and you're stupid for standing in the rain so long! Get some rest!

I smiled and held the note to my chest dearly. Sora was such a good person. I smiled and felt the recently reoccurring tears form at the corner of my eye. It then trickled down to drip loudly against the paper.

Thank you, Sora. Thank you, Riku.

I was feeling much better by the time they got back. I had been sitting up in bed reading a book that I hadn't had the chance to pick up in a while and heard them open the door downstairs. They came in laughing loudly. I looked up from the pages of my book and waited for them.

Sora came in first, all grins, expecting to see me sleeping. So his face fell slightly when he saw that I wasn't resting. Riku came in and stared at me too. I thought that they were trying to scold me without words.

"I haven't left the bed all day!" I said defensively, throwing up my hands.

Sora seemed to relax and came to sit on the edge of the bed by my side. I was so glad my throat was better. I could actually talk and only have to cough every few minutes, instead of all the time. Riku came and sat on the chair again, tossing his backpack on the floor.

I asked softly, "How was school?"

"Stupid." Sora answered blearily. "But the student president did say that he had chosen our class trip to be a camping trip to the next island over."

My face fell. I knew what that meant; more hard work. Riku just gazed over at Sora amused. He then switched his gaze to me and said, "We brought you the homework."

I smiled appreciatively. Then I asked, "Why don't we get started on it now? I am supposed to tutor you, still."

Sora groaned and I shot him a glare growling, "Just because I'm sick, that doesn't mean I'll let you slack off!"

Sora cringed and grumbled, "Fine…"

It took me two more days before I could feel fully functional again. But it felt like getting sick was just the thing I needed. As weird as that sounds, and I was glad. I realized, with the help of Sora and Riku that I really was working too hard. I had decided that it was about time I loosened up, and became myself.

I even wore my contacts. Something I had never thought I'd do while at school. I was a little worried, though. I was still running a slight fever, which made my eyes and nose watery. I hoped I didn't look stupid.

I got into the classroom just two minutes before the bell would ring, and hurriedly made my way to my seat. Sora and Riku were standing chatting with a group of kids on the other side of the room, but saw me and waved. I gave a small wave back and noted that the kids they were talking to, looked to see who it was they were waving at, and caught sight of me.

Sora said something and made his way over to me grinning widely. He called over as he bounded up, throwing his arms around my neck in a hug, "Yo, Ahiro, how are you feeling today?!"

I muttered, "Fine."

He let go and sat down with me at our usual seats by the window, the group of kids eyeing me confusedly. But I tried not to catch their staring gazes; instead, I focused all my attention on listening to Sora talk non-stop about the upcoming trip. I couldn't help but feel it still and immediately flushed.

"Hey…are you sure you're feeling alright?" Sora asked suddenly. I had gotten distracted; I realized and immediately snapped my gaze back onto Sora. I saw his eyes filled with concern as he tilted his head and studied me.

I shook my head and said, leaning in slightly, "It's nothing. I'm just feeling a little uncomfortable with my contacts in."

His expression cleared and was filled with relief. He then said, "You look fine. Trust me."

I lowered my gaze and nodded, smiling slightly. Sora grinned back and turned back to face the front as the bell rang. When our teacher came in and started taking roll, I let my mind wander, waiting for the actual lesson to start. I looked out the window and saw the leaves falling in the courtyard. I could almost see through them now to the other side.

"Ahiro?" I heard my name called loudly, pulling me out of my daydream.

"Yes?" I asked breathlessly, startled by the sudden address.

The teacher stared at me for a moment, as if contemplating something. Then he asked, pointing with his pencil, "Did you get contacts?"

The entire class seemed to turn back to look at me. My face flushed yet again, and I nearly fainted; all those eyes on me.

I stuttered out, "Y-yes, sir."

I saw kids turn to their neighbors and whisper behind their hands. They were talking about me! Oh, no! This is so embarrassing! I thought as Mr. Tenjo said, "Well, you look good. Would you please answer the question on the board…?"

But even though he had moved on in the lesson, I could still feel eyes on me. Calculating. I noticed Sora had turned to give me a look and saw me fretting. He then scribbled on a piece of paper and stealthily handed it to me.

Don't worry! Like I said, you look great!

That didn't give me much. So I ended up worrying the entire rest of the day. But, no matter how nice the weather was outside, or how uncomfortable I was, I just couldn't stay awake. My head started drooping just after lunch, and by the time last period came around, I was fast asleep. I was having the best dream. I was on the little play island I went to with my mother when I was a kid. It was the last time I ever saw her. We were having so much fun that day.

She smiled down at me and asked, "Do you love your mama?"

I grinned happily and said, "More than anything!"

To my dismay, I was suddenly jolted awake. I looked around wildly, trying to remember where I was. Everyone was still looking up at the board as the teacher wrote the correct formulas for the chemistry homework, so I was obviously still in school (and thankfully not in trouble), but what woke me up? Then I heard someone whisper, "You were starting to snore…"

I blushed furiously as I saw that it was the girl sitting next to me who had nudged me awake. I mumbled, "Thanks."

She just smiled sweetly and turned back to the board. A few seconds later, I was sneaked another note by Sora. It read:

OMG! She totally gave you the look! I told you wearing contacts was a good idea! You should listen to me more often! 

I just turned bright red again, crumpled up his note annoyed, and kicked the back of his chair.

After class Sora and I were carrying desks to the front of the room so we could sweep, my name being whispered all around the room. Sora was helping me carry two, while Riku carried two by himself. As we passed by that girl who had woke me up earlier, she was talking with a bunch of her friends with rapt attention so we overheard their conversation.

"His name's Ahiro Sakuma, isn't it?"

"Yeah, isn't he new here?"

"No. He's been in our class this whole time. It's weird isn't it? I've never really noticed him until now." The girl said, leaning in closer to her friends in the hopes that I wouldn't hear.

They giggled and said, "Well, Megumi! You seem to know a lot about him! Did you know he had such gorgeous eyes under those glasses of his?"

"No, but I sit next to him and-"

"Lucky girl, that's right! You do sit next to each other don't you! You have to get his e-mail address for us!"

"Quiet! He's right there!" Megumi hissed, locking eyes with me. I forced a small insecure smile, and averted my gaze quickly, trying to push Sora to move by faster. Not fast enough though. I heard one of the other girls sigh, "He's so cute!"

Cute?

"And cool too! He's so quiet, but he seems really nice and smart!"

Cool?! Were they really talking about me?

As I passed by them to get another desk, Megumi said over her friends' shoulders, "Your contacts look really good on you, Sakuma!"

I heard the whole group erupt in giggles, and I froze. Megumi was blushing madly, not meeting my gaze. I turned to Sora and asked silently, "What do I do?!"

He craned his neck in their direction and said silently back, "Say SOMETHING!"

I cleared my throat and said softly, "Thanks. You look…nice today too."

I nearly died. Why did I wear these damn contacts?! It's all Sora's fault! I'd have to kill him later for putting me in this awkward mess. What the hell was I doing talking with girls! I already made a fool of myself earlier!

To my utter surprise, however, they kept talking to me. One of the girls stepped up and asked shyly, "Sora said you were sick…are you feeling any better?"

"Oh…yeah I guess so. Just kinda tired is all." I mumbled.

I saw a couple of them blush slightly, and start whispering. Sora stepped in and said, "Ahiro, we still have a couple desks to grab…"

"Right…" I started, turning to follow after him.

"See you later, then!"

I turned back and saw Megumi standing nervously apart from her friends. I felt a fluttering in my stomach then. So, trusting my instinct, I gave her the best smile I could and said, "See you."

When Sora and I got far enough away, he turned to me and exclaimed, "I'm so happy for you! You just nearly made all of them faint over there!"

"I did?" I asked shakily, still not quite over from the rush of the encounter.

He placed a hand over his heart theatrically and whimpered jokingly, "My little boy's growing up! I'm so proud!"

I just punched him and shot another peek over at the girls while he rolled on the ground in pain. They were still talking in hushed voices, but stopped and waved when they saw me staring. I guess it wasn't that bad after all.

When it was time to go to club, I said goodbye to Sora and Riku and headed off to the student council room. It had to have been the longest trip to that room I had ever taken. People kept stopping to talk to me, to ask my name, to see how I was feeling! It was overwhelming! A guy that looked to be an upperclassman came up and asked, "Sakuma, right? So you're the freshman everyone's talking about. Now I know why."

I thought he was going to beat me up, so I cowered slightly and braced myself. I'd never been hit before. But, instead of a punch, I heard him ask, "Are you free this weekend?"

"Wha-what?!" I stuttered, looking back up into his kind eyes.

He just smiled and said anxiously, "I've never really asked out a guy before, but…would you wanna go see a movie, or something?"

I gaped up at him. Then I cried out, the words finally sinking in, "But, you don't even know me!"

He just shrugged and said, "Yeah, it's really weird for me too. Normally I only date chicks, but…"

I was lost for words. A guy? Asking me out? On a date? My entire body seemed to grow warm, and I could tell I was as red as a beat, but I couldn't even move to try and hide it. He just smiled again and said, "Listen, I know it's kinda sudden but if you change your mind, call me. The name's Tidus."

He quickly took out a scrap of paper and scribbled on it, then placed it in my numb hand and stepped past me saying, "See ya!"

I immediately rushed to the bathroom and splashed my face with cold water. I couldn't believe any of this was happening! No way! I'm probably still asleep in the classroom dreaming peacefully as the teacher lectures. I pinch myself to check.

I am awake.

I was about five minutes late to club, which never happened. So, when I burst in panting heavily all of the others looked up questioningly.

"Oh, Sakuma! We weren't sure if you had gone home sick or not! Glad to see you made it!" the president called jovially.

I muttered an apology, then took my normal spot and listened to what the new plans were. There were quite a few. Plus I had to start setting up the final touches on the class trip to the next island. There was planning the activities, picking a good weekend when the weather would be alright, and sleeping arrangements. By the time the meeting was over, I was beat. I think Sora was right after all. I was working too hard.

So when I got to the tutoring rooms, I was dragging my feet. I slumped down in my chair and sighed heavily, waiting for Riku and Sora to arrive. My eyes were getting heavy again, and before I knew it, I was asleep.

"Ahiro! Come on! You gotta at least get home before you pass out!" I heard Sora's voice chuckle.

My eyes snapped open, and I saw both of them gazing down at me. I immediately sat up and said, "I'm fine, just resting my eyes!"

How cliché, I thought mentally punching myself. Sora leaned down so our faces were mere inches apart and said, "Riku said he'd drive you home if you wanted."

I finally agreed after much of their insisting. When we were driving home I thought back on the day. Megumi and a whole bunch of girls thought I was cool and cute, some upperclassman guy asked me out unexpectedly, and I'm pretty sure that after the class trip was over I would be quitting the student council. All thanks to none other than my new friends.

"Today was something." I said, looking out the window of Riku's backseat.

"Yeah, you definitely made an impression on the ladies!" Sora laughed.

I smiled amusedly and pulled out the phone number that guy gave me. I then got an idea. I passed it up to Sora and asked, "Do you know this guy? He used to be in your grade, I think."

"Yeah, Tidus Shimomura, we know him! He's a really good friend of ours; plays kendo with Riku and me! Why?"

I snatched back the paper and said, "Does he ever go out with guys?"

I saw both of them stiffen slightly, then Sora turned and asked, "Why, you looking to hook up with him or something? Hehe."

I blushed and muttered, "No…well, he sorta asked me out and I was just wondering what kind of person he was. I didn't know if he was joking or not…"

The car was silent for a moment as it turned onto my street. Then Sora burst into laughter and cried out, "I can't believe it! Tidus asked a guy out! Who would have thought it possible?!"

I watched as he clutched his side, trying to gasp for air. He then turned around and said somewhat seriously, "He's the nicest guy we know. So, just make sure you don't break his heart when you decline, okay?"

I glared up at him and asked loudly, "Who said I was going to say no?!"

Sora was dumbstruck, and Riku slowed to a sudden stop on my driveway. I just kinda blurted that out, but I hadn't even thought of the possibility of dating a guy. I felt around in my heart to see if it felt wrong, but there was nothing to indicate that it was. With this newfound logic, I mustered up the guts to hold my gaze against Sora's. He finally blushed and sat forward in his seat mumbling, "I see…"

After that I quickly got out and issued a small 'thanks' for the ride and ran to get in my house. As soon as I got inside, I fell against the door, breathing heavily. They probably hated me now. Thought I was some sort of a disgusting freak for saying that. Why was I so weird?! I slid to the floor and clutched my knees, dreading the next day.

When I got to class about thirty minutes too early, I saw Sora sitting nervously in his chair; the only other person in the room. I was taken off guard and I said impulsively, "Why are you here so early?"

Sora stood up and called over, "I was waiting for you to get here. I knew you usually came early, so…"

"Oh…I see."

We stood in pressured silence. I wasn't sure if he wanted to make fun of me or not, so I just waited. He finally lifted his head to look at me and uttered indistinctly, "What you said yesterday…I didn't mean…I didn't…"

He was definitely struggling. But I was glad, that was all he had to say. I just smiled from ear to ear, happy relief flooding through me as I watched him shift from foot to foot. I said tentatively, "I understand. Thank you."

He seemed to brighten up once again, and smiled back. As we went to our desks to talk, I said laughing, "I thought you hated me. I'm glad that's not the case."

He looked shocked, then ashamed and said lowly, "I'm sorry."

The rest of the week went by quickly, mostly filled with school, student council planning, and tutoring. The date for the class trip was set on the weekend after this, and you had the choice of staying in the cabin (if you didn't have a tent) or outside (in your tent). There were activities, like a cooking challenge and a swimming race and a scavenger hunt. Possibly even a relay or a capture the flag.

On the day before our day off, Megumi turned to me during break in-between classes and asked, "So Sakuma-san, are you busy this weekend?"

I flushed slightly and said, "I'm sorry, but I'm actually busy."

Just yesterday, Sora bullied me into picking up the phone and calling Tidus. He yelled, "If you don't he's gonna be heart-broken! So you had better start dialing!" Then he stayed next to me through the whole conversation and made sure I had a date set. My eye twitched with anger just thinking about it.

Megumi's face fell for a split second, and then perked up again when she asked, "Is it a date?"

I nodded. She didn't falter. Instead, she grabbed my hand and cried out, "That's great! Is it your first?"

I nodded again, completely taken off-guard. She said, "Well, if it doesn't work out with her, you should definitely give me a call and come hang out with me!"

She was definitely not fazed, I'll give her that much. She shoved a piece of paper in my hand and smiled sweetly. What is it with all these people and shoving their phone numbers in my face? It's not like I was going anywhere or anything.

And I didn't have the heart to tell her it was a guy I was going out with for my first date, either. I didn't want her taking it the wrong way. It was just a…experiment.

Sora wanted to come over and help me get ready for the 'date', but I said 'no way'. I was already too nervous, and putting up with his little tips on dating wouldn't help any. So I got ready alone.

I thought to myself as I tried to pick out an outfit, "Stay calm. It's only a movie. Stay calm."

But I couldn't. I ended up starting to shake and get terrible butterflies as I waited by the ticket booth for Tidus. I was just thinking of running, when I heard my name called. I turned around and caught sight of him running up, waving frantically, a big grin on his face. He came to a stop in front of me, clutching his knees, and said breathlessly, "Sorry I'm late Sakuma! I got stuck at a train."

He looked really good. I was surprised to hear myself say so, but he really did. He was wearing a brown sweater with some blue jeans and a blue beanie on top of his light blonde hair; very casual. Oh no. I thought my stomach turning over horribly. Did I look okay? I had carefully picked out a t-shirt and a black zip-up hoodie with some light grey jeans. Was it enough? Did it seem too familiar?

He said still a little winded, "You look nice."

He looked me up and down and grinned. I was absolutely (and yes I am actually going to use this word) flabbergasted. I stuttered, "Y-you look nice, too Sh-Shimomura!"

"Call me Tidus." He said non-chalontly, walking over to the movie listings. "You know, I was really surprised when you called. I had asked you out as a kind of shot-in-the-dark kinda thing. I never even guessed you'd consider me."

I just smiled awkwardly and went to stand next to him. We stood staring at the times for a while, both debating on what sounded best. I finally chalked up enough nerve to say, "I've heard that new action movie was pretty good."

"Really? Cool. You wanna see that one?" he asked, turning his gaze back on me.

I nodded, and as we waited in line to get our tickets, I said quietly, "You can call me Ahiro."

I didn't look at him, but I could feel him staring down at me. He chuckled and said, "Alright…Ahiro."

I blushed, and hurriedly went to move towards the window that was open. Before I could get out my money, he had already put his on the counter. I tried to protest, but he just said, "I asked you out, at least let me treat you."

I nodded, and suddenly our cashier girl got a nose-bleed. I heard her say something like, "One second." And then she disappeared. Another cashier came out and handed us our tickets apologizing profusely.

I relaxed after we got our seats and watched the movie in the cool theater. It really was a good movie. And after it was done and we were standing out in the cold night air, I felt like I was acting like myself.

"You really are a cool guy." Tidus suddenly said, gazing at me affectionately.

I choked slightly, and when I saw he wasn't going to brush it off as a joke I issued a small, "Thank you."

"Well, I guess we should be heading home. It's getting pretty late. Do you want me to walk you home?" he asked, shoving his hat back on his ruffled hair.

"No. I'll be okay. It's not that far." I answered, pointing over my shoulder at the shoreline only a mile away.

"Alright then, I'll see you later."

"Yeah, see you-"I started, but was cut off. There was a flash of blonde and I felt his lips press softly against my cheek.

I stood open mouthed gazing up into his slightly glowing face. My stomach was doing flip flops like crazy, in time to my heart pounding rapidly against my chest. Then he grabbed my hand loosely and whispered, leaning into me, "I'm sorry. I'm probably moving really fast, but I can't help it. I really like you, and I didn't expect to. It's just that, when I saw you at the beginning of the school year…I dunno I was drawn to you, and then when I saw you in the hall…I couldn't help but like you even more. You just looked so…perfect."

Oh my god. Was this a confession? I was still completely stunned so I just listened open-mouthed as he continued, "Ahiro…would you please…go out with me? For real?"

Shivers ran up and down my spine in quick succession, and I nearly keeled over. He really wanted to go out with me?! That's nuts! This has to be a dream! This whole year has to be a dream! If you had asked me last year in middle school what my chances were of befriending two popular guys, getting phone numbers from girls as soon as I went out in public with my contacts in, and getting a boy to ask me out and then confess to me when I went for my first year of high school would be, I would have told you absolutely no chance.

But here it was, and happening all at once too! I stammered, "A-are you s-sure?!"

He stared down at me disbelievingly for a moment, and then erupted into a fit of laughter. Was it all a joke? I wasn't sure. So, all I did was stand distressed, waiting for him to finish. When he did, he came up gasping. He said, "No wonder I like you so much!"

I must have still looked confused, because he reached up a hand and placed it gently against my cheek and said in a whisper, "I'm totally serious. I like you, and I want to go out with you."

My eyes widened, and I stood motionless, trying to gather my wits. I finally whispered disbelievingly, "Tidus…I'm glad."

His hand squeezed my own and he breathed, "Thank goodness…"

My heart seemed to swell at that moment, and I felt a rush of happiness overtake me. I was finally in my first relationship. After standing for a little while, the grins not fading, I finally asked, "Are you cold?"

"Naw, besides…I've got you here." He mumbled shyly, stepping a little closer.

Blushing, I turned my head and laughed, "This is crazy."

"I know. I can't believe how…good this feels. It's scary in a way." He mumbled, running his hands up and down my back, trying to keep both of us warm.

I looked up into his intense dark blue eyes and said slowly, "But you know, I kinda don't mind."

He nodded, his eyes sparkling in the lights from the shops.

When we finally managed to pull apart, we said our goodbyes and headed off in opposite directions. I couldn't wait to tell Sora and Riku! I was so happy!

* * *

a/n: Awwww! How scandelous!! I wonder what could possibly happen durning the class trip? Find out in the next chappie!!! Coming soon!

a/n2: See you next time.

a/n: Alrighty, Happy Readings!

* * *


	5. 4

Disclaimer: We do not own KH.

a/n: What in the world does Ahiro having a boyfriend now mean?! I'm itching to know!!! Can't you just hint a little...

a/n2: No.

a/n: *pouts* WHY?!!!!

a/n2: *folds arms smugly* Because.

a/n: Waaaahhhhh!!!

a/n2: Well, guys, have fun reading this chappie.

a/n: *sniffs* Yeah...Happy Readings everyone!

* * *

Ahiro's POV:

At school the next day, I couldn't even contain my excitement. Sora noticed immediately, but he didn't sound too enthused when he asked, "So…how did your date go?"

Riku turned and stared expectantly. I smiled brightly and said, "It was great! You guys were right! He is a really nice guy! It was so easy to talk with him."

"What did you guys do?" Riku asked.

"Well, he took me to the movies and we saw that new one that just came out. Then when we were outside, he told me how much he liked me, kissed me, and then asked if we could go out for real!" I burst out, not able to hold back.

But, I didn't get the reaction from my best friends that I was hoping for. Instead, neither of them said anything. I looked back and forth between them, feeling the happy high from yesterday finally fade.

"You two are going out?" Riku asked softly, starring directly into my eyes.

I nodded, then Sora blurted out loudly, "You kissed him?!"

People turned around at that, and I felt my face burning. He actually looked upset, like really upset. Not in the protective way either, but in the wounded way. That actually kinda pissed me off. Not only did he just blurt it out to the entire class, but he was making it into a huge deal for some ridiculous reason. Shouldn't he be happy for me?

So I growled through my teeth, "Yeah…he kissed me, but only on the cheek."

Without warning, he stood up and walked briskly out of the classroom. I felt tears welling up, stinging the corners of my eyes as I sat rigid in my seat. I heard mutterings and whispers everywhere. Riku, however, got up from his seat and sat in Sora's so he could face me properly. He could see the tears, and didn't ask anything. Instead he just muttered, "I'm happy for you. I can tell you really care about him. And…I know what you're thinking. He doesn't hate you. Not because you like guys as well as girls, but for some other reason that I don't know…"

I switched my gaze from his concerned one and stared hard at my hands clutched on top of my desk. I bit my bottom lip in an effort to keep the tears back. But, despite Riku's words of comfort, it didn't erase the hurt and embarrassment that Sora caused me.

"Ahiro…it's alright." Someone said above me.

I quickly looked up to see Megumi. She was gazing down at me sadly, a group of her friends (boys and girls alike) standing just behind her, all with the same expressions. She glanced behind her at the others and continued, "We don't think any less of you for going out with a guy. Love is love. Besides, you told me that you like girls too, right? Sora's just upset that his best friend is so happy and he…well, he's not."

"Yeah, he's just jealous that you are happy and he isn't with Kairi anymore!" another girl piped up.

Soon everyone was chiming in and I was feeling better. I caught Riku's eye and smiled weakly. He smiled back, moving back to his own seat. Sora came back right when lunch break ended, but he wouldn't look at me the whole time. I saw him and Riku conversing angrily in whispers during the rest of the periods, and I tried not to pay any attention.

Luckily, I noticed that as I looked out the window through the tree I could finally see through the branches to the other side of the courtyard. And there, sitting in his desk by the window almost directly across from me was Tidus. My heart fluttered as he looked up and saw me starring.

He grinned widely and waved. I blushed and waved back, trying to make it discreet so the teacher wouldn't notice. I then watched as he rummaged around in his bag on the floor and pulled out a notebook. He then wrote something and then held it flush against the window.

It read: -HI.

I stifled my laughter and grabbed my own notebook. I wrote: -HI.

He grinned and wrote again: -I miss you.

-Me too.

-You want to 

have lunch 

together?

-Sure.

But, as he was grinning from ear to ear, he didn't happen to notice the teacher walking up behind him. I tried to signal him, but it was too late. I watched as the teacher silently asked him what he was up to. Tidus tried to explain while discreetly hiding his notebook, but the teacher saw. He snatched the paper from his hands and flipped through it. By now all the kids were watching. And when the teacher asked him something and Tidus answered without hesitation, pointing in my direction, all the kids looked too. My face heated up and I watched as the teacher found me with his piercing gaze. His face reddened and he wrote on Tidus' notebook, and then slammed it up against the window. It read:

-Thanks to you 

he's got detention.

I grabbed my book again and wrote: -Sorry.

I looked back to Tidus apologetically but saw that he was still grinning. He thought it was fun, and he was openly laughing with all the kids around him. As soon as the teacher got done lecturing him, and had resumed class, I saw him tap the kids shoulder in front of him and ask something.

I watched as the other kid happily handed him another notebook. Then he began scribbling.

-All the kids 

say that you're 

really cute. 

I'm pretty sure 

my teacher 's 

jealous.

I had just finished reading his last note when I saw the teacher coming up behind him again. Then I watched as the teacher smacked the top of his head with the old notebook and growled something. Tidus was shaking his head and pointing at himself, trying to explain something. The teacher glared at him for a moment, then caught my gaze again. I tried to glare back, but Tidus had already drawn his attention back on him.

The teacher thought for a moment, nodded, and shot me another warning glare as he went back to the front of the class. Tidus turned back to me and winked. I mouthed 'sorry'. Then, to my horror, he grabbed another notebook and scribbled quickly.

- ;P

I had to put my mouth over my hands to stop myself from laughing. Then we went back to paying attention in class. Everyone was right, Sora was just being stupid. Just as long as I was happy, right?

During the lunch break I told Riku faintly that I was going down to the cafeteria. He looked at me worriedly, but I shook my head and told him to stay with Sora. Sora didn't look upset anymore, more like downcast. But I didn't care (even though I felt a pang deep in my chest), I just brushed it off.

I met Tidus, and he immediately drew me up in his arms saying, "Man, I really did miss you."

I hugged him back awkwardly and said, "Sorry about earlier. How long did you get for detention?"

"Just two hours after school. I have to clean the chalkboard and bookshelves." He said with a grimace. "No big deal."

I hugged him again.

We got our lunch, and then went to sit outside on a bench. It was slightly overcast, but we sat close enough together not to notice the cold. I blinked up into the luminescent skies and said, "I hope it clears up in time for our class trip."

"Yeah, me too." He mumbled through his sandwich. "We're going to the next island for ours."

"My class too."

"Really? When are you guys going?"

"This weekend."

"Oh, yeah! That's right! Our President said something about that to us. Our class and your class decided to go together since we were going to the same place. Save money or something."

"Is that so?" I asked, a slight twitch developing above my eye. "Funny. My President forgot to mention anything about it."

He gazed at me questioningly for a second, and then realization dawned on his face, "Oh, I'm sorry! That sucks, doesn't it?! You're on the student council!"

I nodded, mentally making a note to kill Takashi (Mr. Responsible President) when I see him next. This means rearranging everything! Why was it always so difficult?! I sighed, taking another swig from my water bottle, "It's alright, I guess. I'm quitting after the trip, so…"

"Why's that?" he asked, a mild look of concern crossing his face.

"Oh, Riku and…" I started, but stopped abruptly. "Riku just thought I was working too hard."

Tidus studied me for a moment, and then asked, "Did you and Sora have a fight or something? I thought you guys were best friends?"

I didn't reply. I just glared down at my shoes in silence.

"Listen, I know him. He's been my friend for a long time." Tidus said, placing a reassuring arm across my shoulders. "Whenever something bothers him, he tends to not…he tends to keep everything to himself. So, don't take it the wrong way."

I couldn't bring myself to be consoled by his kind words. I knew that Sora's sudden mood change was the effect of something I had done or said. But, so Tidus wouldn't worry, I forced a smile and nodded, taking a slow drink of my water thinking hard.

Through the rest of the week, Sora continued to avoid me, which gradually made me more and more upset. He was my best friend, and I really missed him. Luckily I had Tidus and Riku and all my new friends and classmates that were gradually warming up to me. Riku even told me I had a fan club going, which is pretty ridiculous!

It was the day before we would be leaving for the trip, when Sora even looked at me again. I was heading down to meet Tidus so we could walk home together, when I suddenly came face-to-face with him.

I recoiled slightly as I saw just who I had bumped into, then tried to rush past him, issuing a small, "Excuse me…"

I had made it two steps, when I felt a hand clamp down hard on my elbow, holding me in place. I looked back and saw Sora staring hard at the ground off to his left, a look of pain across his face. This was probably when he was going to tell me what was so unbearable about being around me. He contradicted himself when he finally started talking.

"Listen, Ahiro…I know I've been acting weird lately." He said glancing up to catch my eye. "But I can't tell you why. I just wanted to tell you that I'm really, really sorry. I didn't mean to act like such an ass-hole. Just know that I've learned to deal with my…problem."

I still couldn't bring myself to say anything yet. He gazed at me sadly, thinking that talking to me had served no purpose, and turned to walk away. I watched him drag his feet a few steps, thinking hard. And then I thought, when would I ever get a best friend like him ever again? I can't lose him!

"Sora, wait!" I called.

He froze, and I quickly ran and stopped in front of him. He wouldn't meet my gaze, but I continued anyways, "Hey…do you wanna sit next to me on the bus ride to the ferry?"

His head snapped up and I thought relieved, Thank goodness.

Then I saw his lips turn up into a smile and he nodded. Everything went back to normal again. Sora and Riku even joined Tidus and me for lunch in the courtyard. I noticed that the three of them got along just like Tidus said they always had; old friends. I smiled as I watched Riku give Sora a noogie, Tidus cheering as Sora struggled to get away. I'm so glad we're back to normal.

After school that day, Tidus and I were walking home together, the cold wind picking back up. I hope it would get nicer tomorrow, it would be miserable if our trip involved wind. The weather report said it should stay nice for the most part. I sighed.

"What's up?" Tidus asked, gazing over at me.

I shook my head, adjusting the hold on my bag slightly. Then I said, "I was just hoping the weather won't get too bad. It'd be more work if it did."

He slipped an arm around me and laughed. He comforted me, and soon we fell into a silence. The only sounds were that of the lazy afternoon streets, and the light pattering of leaves skidding across the pavement. Soon we had come to the point in our journey back home where we went our separate ways. I turned to look up at him and smiled.

"Listen," he muttered, a light blush tinting his hears pink. "Have you ever thought about us…?"

I nodded. Then he shook his head and continued, the blush spreading to his cheeks, "No, I mean…about us going…further."

"What do you mean?"

He swayed from side to side fretfully, weighing something in his mind, and then he blurted out, "I mean, would you kiss me? Would you-"

My eyes had grown large. He cut himself off and waited. I finally cleared my suddenly parched throat and whispered hoarsely, "I hadn't thought of that..."

I really hadn't. I mean it felt like we were in a relationship, and I got butterflies around him, but what would two guys do? I am assuming it's just like a girl, but I don't know it's all still really weird with me. This is all happening so fast.

Suddenly, I felt a cold hand rest against my cheek, and I looked up. Tidus had moved towards me, now our bodies were barely an inch apart. I could feel his body warmth resonating through his clothes. I shivered. He was looking at me with a serious, but still unsure look in his eyes. Then he was bending towards me. I was rooted to the spot, unable to move or make a sound.

I could feel his hot breath brush against my skin, leaving a tingling sensation in its wake. I was visibly shaking now. But he continued leaning forward, his hand still pressed against my cheek. One millimeter now and I would have my first kiss.

I had expected it to be different. Everyone always talks about how your first kiss would feel unbelievably exciting, but I didn't feel anything. Sure my stomach did a flip-flop, but after we had broken apart and awkwardly waved goodbye, I thought that it hadn't been epic or anything, just nice. I touched my still warm lips and blushed.

Really nice.

The next day, as I locked my front door and walked down the hill to the streets leading to school, I was surprised to see Sora waiting by the side of the road. He had his backpack sitting placidly by his feet, undoubtedly stuffed with camping gear, and other provisions that had been on the list, and was currently picking at a cuticle. He then caught sight of me starring and called over, "Yo Ahiro, ready for the trip?!"

"Yeah." I replied, gazing questioningly at him as I neared.

He laughed and said, "Don't give me that look! I just figured that since we lived so close to each other that we could start walking to school together. 'S not a crime, is it?"

I just laughed and continued walking. He made a noise behind me and I could hear him scrambling to get his pack on. Then he called out, "H-Hey! Wait a second!"

As he came scrambling up, the items in his bag clunking, I asked, "You got everything you need?"

He nodded and smirked, "Yeah, I even brought a Frisbee."

I raised an eyebrow. He just shrugged and smiled, not saying anything else. I just rolled my eyes and walked on. That's Sora for you. We walked the rest of the way going over the last test we'd had in math. Sora complained about how he couldn't remember a certain formula, even though we'd spent the most time going over that the day before.

When we saw the school a few blocks away, Sora broke into a run and called back, "Race you there!"

"What?! No!" I cried, starting off after him. We were neck and neck as we came barreling in through the front gate up to the crowds of students crowded around the busses. I panted, "Ass-hole. You cheated."

He just grinned evilly over at me as we stood trying to catch our breaths. Before I had enough time to collect myself however, we heard Riku calling our names. I looked up and saw both Riku and Tidus walking towards us, smiling. We stood around for a while, waiting for the busses to arrive, and when they did, Tidus turned and said, "I'll see you on the boat, then?"

I nodded, and he bent down and gave me a quick kiss. When I turned back to Sora and Riku I saw them giving me weird looks. I just blushed and mumbled, "What? Just saying bye…"

No one commented, and we filed onto the bus with all our friends. And, as promised, I sat next to Sora. As soon as we were inside, and the noise level grew and we all relaxed again and joined in the excited conversations. It was about twenty minutes to get over to the other side of the island where the ferry was.

When we stepped out into the fresh air, I looked around for Tidus. Sora came up next to me and said, "I think he was on that one over-"

I glanced up to see why he had cut himself off so abruptly, and caught sight of a head of beautiful, long, brilliant maroon hair. That was Kairi. There was no doubt about it. Judging from the way Sora had suddenly gone white, and his knuckles were clenching, I'd say there was no doubt that it wasn't her.

She was stepping from the bus, her hair falling in her eyes slightly. Her eyes skimmed over the crowds and rested on us for a moment, and the color in her cheeks grew. She quickly averted her gaze and struck up conversation with her friends again, heading away from us.

I thought quickly and did the only thing I could think of.

"So, I wonder where Tidus is. Maybe we should start heading to the ferry and save seats? Yeah, that sounds good, that way we can make sure we all get ones next to each other!" I yammered nervously, grabbing Riku and Sora by their coats, dragging them in the direction of the boat away from her. I continued talking animatedly (which was totally uncomfortable considering I don't particularly like trying to put myself in the spotlight). It was only when we had found seats, that either of them said anything back.

"Ahiro…" Sora said. "Thank you."

I just blushed and shut up. I stood up and told them I was going to look for Tidus and went out to the dock. I found him talking to a girl who was very cute, her brown hair bouncing playfully as she talked. He caught sight of me and turned, telling her that he'd talk with her later. Then he came jogging up, a huge grin on his face.

I led him up to our seats and said, "Found him."

Sora and Riku grinned, shoving backpacks and such to the side in order to make room for us. Sora then asked loudly over the non-stop chatter of everyone, "Hey, Ahiro, how long is it going to be before we get to the other island?"

"A little less than three hours." I replied, scooting closer to Tidus. Sora groaned, "What're we going to do for that long?!"

"I've got cards." Riku suddenly mumbled, fishing in his pack and drawing out the said deck.

That tied Sora over for about ten minutes, and then once he was bored again, he started complaining. Thankfully another form of entertainment showed up, and her name was Megumi. Her and some others were going around taking pictures and insisted that we all join them on the front deck. Sora gladly jumped up from his seat and insisted that we go.

It was fun. My favorites were: the one with Riku, Sora, and me, with our arms across each other's shoulders grinning stupidly at the camera, and the one with Tidus and me. He had me up on his back, and I was laughing as he attempted to make a pose whilst holding me up.

Soon after Megumi and the others had their fill of pictures, I slipped away back to our seats and sat down heavily. I was tired. All that work I had to do this past week had wiped me out. Tidus had already decided to come back and pass out, so I sat next to him, leaned my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes. I breathed deeply, Tidus' scent relaxing me. He was snoring slightly, but it didn't bother me, and soon I found myself dozing peacefully.

Sora's POV:

Riku went to go find Wakka and the others to say hi, but I wasn't in the mood. I told him I'd see him later and went to go find Ahiro. I wanted to ask him about the stuff we would be doing on the Island. He'd come back a little before, looking really wiped. I hope he's feeling better. I can't remember the last time I got sick.

I was nearing our chairs when I caught sight of the top of Tidus' hair. When I came around I had started to exclaim animatedly, "Ne, Ahiro! What-"but I cut myself off when I saw that both of them were asleep.

Ahiro was leaning precariously against a snoring Tidus, who had his arm wrapped loosely around his shoulder. Ahiro was sleeping fretfully, I could see, his hair falling in his face, his eyes screwed up slightly. I wanted to reach out and wake him, but thought better. He's the type of kid that would punch you if you tried waking him. So, with reluctance, I turned away and started off to find Riku.

I was out on the deck, wandering aimlessly, when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned and there was Kairi starring up at me sadly. I felt my stomach clench and almost thought of running away. I thought better when she asked softly, "Can we talk?"

It was no use saying no to her. Grudgingly, I followed after, the sound of waves crashing against the bow growing louder as we neared.

* * *

a/n: Oh my! That's what you call an exciting new development! Will we finally find out why Kairi and Sora broke up?!

a/n2: Maybe. You'll just have to find out in the next chappie

a/n: Argh! No! I wanna know now! I'm reading this for the first time along with all you guys!

a/n2: Hehe. Can't help it.

a/n: Whatever you dictator. Anyway, Happy Readings!

* * *


	6. 5

Disclaimer: We do not own KH.

a/n: Alrighty, here we go! The new installment!!!

a/n2: Yeah, took me a while to get it all together. I wasn't sure how I was supposed to-

a/n: Ah, ah, ah! No giving away anything!

a/n2: ...

a/n: Hehe. Anyways, Happy Readings friends!!!

* * *

Ahiro's POV:

I didn't dream, and the next thing I knew, I was suddenly awake. Tidus was still asleep, his arm wrapped around me loosely. Riku was sitting in the seat across, his head resting against the window as he slept. But, Sora wasn't there. I looked around and saw that most of everyone else had settled into their seats, the majority fast asleep. He wasn't anywhere. I raked my eyes over the seats again and didn't see him.

I decided to go look for him. He was obviously the only one of my friends that was awake. I carefully moved Tidus' warm arm and slipped out into the aisle. I asked around and a group that was playing cards said they had seen him heading up to the bow. I thanked them and made my way there. I noticed the sun was reaching its high point in the sky, dark clouds moving in to cover it.

The captain's voice came over the speakers just then and said, "Looks like we're going to be going over some rough waters in a bit, nothing to worry about. We'll be arriving in about forty five minutes."

I noted dimly that the waters were starting to look rougher, the dark waves churning. I had just made it to the bow when the boat started rocking, the waves crashing against the ship, sending spray up into the air. I squinted and caught sight of Sora. He looked upset, and I was about to step forward, but I suddenly heard that someone else was with him. I stole a quick glance around the corner and saw that it was Kairi, her bright hair whipping around covering half of her face. She looked upset too. I decided not to butt in, but just as I was starting to back away, I heard a snippet of their conversation.

"What do you mean? Why won't you take me back?" she said tearfully. "Is it because you're hanging around those freshman friends of yours? I bet it's that Ahiro isn't it, encouraging you not to take me back."

Why would she bring me up? I didn't even think she knew me.

Sora came back quickly with, "I already told you why I can't take you back. And no way is it because people told me to. I made the decision on my own. Don't bring them into this, especially not Ahiro. He's a really great guy, and I won't let you say anything bad about him, Kai!"

Tears fell from her eyes steadily, and the next things they said were very quiet so I couldn't hear what it was she said. It was heated though. I continued to watch, mesmerized. I knew I shouldn't be eavesdropping, but I couldn't help it. Once I'd started I couldn't turn back. Suddenly, Sora bolted. I watched as he tore down the other side of the boat as fast as he could, a hand clamped over his mouth. Was he crying? I couldn't tell.

I wanted to run after him, but I didn't want to be caught eavesdropping, so I waited a moment. The boat was rocking fiercely, and I stumbled a few times trying to make my way over to Kairi, who had turned to look out at the crashing waves. Finally I came up behind her and asked, "Um, Kairi…isn't it?"

She turned to me, her eyes immediately fixing on my own. She was extremely pretty, her creamy skin almost glowing with how perfect it was. I suddenly felt nervous and intimidated. Her eyes were still sparkling with tears, and when she said, "Yes, what is it?" her voice was still a bit shaky.

I asked quietly, "Have you seen Sora around?"

I saw a flash of pain run through her deep blue eyes for a moment, and she seemed to deflate. She mumbled, "He said he had to go to the bathroom..."

"Oh…thank you." I muttered, averting my gaze from hers which had not stopped starring. I hurriedly made my way in the direction that Sora had gone, throwing furtive glances back over my shoulder. I felt kinda sorry for her. There was that look in her eyes that really made a person feel her emotions.

But I had to check and see if Sora was alright. I didn't want him to be upset during our trip; I worked too hard to make it perfect.

The first bathroom I came to, I quickly ducked inside and called out softly, "Sora? Are you in here?"

I heard a small moan coming from one of the stalls, and I shuffled over to it tentatively. Carefully I pushed on the door, testing to see if he was in the first one. It swung open easily, to reveal Sora crouched over the toilet, a slight green tinge to his complexion. He gazed up at me blearily for a moment, and then recognized me. I knelt down next to him swiftly just as another wave rocked the boat, triggering his nausea, and tried holding him as he bent over the toilet.

"Oh, Sora…" I breathed, brushing his hair back from his clammy forehead. I waited with him while he clutched his stomach, whispering soothing words. Finally, I decided that I needed to find him some medicine. He was only dry-heaving now, anyways.

"Hey," I asked getting his attention. "Sora, you're gonna have to help me with getting you up to find medicine, okay? I can't carry you by myself."

He just nodded, his sky-blue eyes gazing up into my own gratefully. My stomach did a little flip-flop, but it was just another wave. I started moving him so he had one arm slung over my shoulder, the other clutching at my hand that was holding on to his side. He was heavy, but we made our way slowly along the deck, occasionally having to stop so he could lean over the side. Finally we reached a first aid kit mounted on the wall. I sighed in relief and immediately started searching for sea-sickness drugs.

He started feeling better after a while, the green slowly going away to be replaced with pink. He muttered, "Thanks…sorry you had to mess with that."

"Don't be stupid. That's what friends are for, right?"

He just stared at me and smiled. I hadn't noticed this before, but when he smiles, his eyes crinkle the tiniest bit at the corners. Wait, what the hell?! Like I care! My stomach did that little flip-flop thing again, but we weren't hitting any waves at the moment. What was going on with me? Was I getting sick again?

I just shook my head and turned, making my way back to my seat, completely forgetting that Sora was still a little sick. I was too caught up in my own thoughts. He came in shortly after me, breathing heavily, and glaring. Tidus had woken up and he asked, "Are you feeling alright?"

"Y-yeah," I said shakily. "I guess the boat's getting to me too…"

"Too?" he asked quizzically, and then caught sight of Sora. "Oh…"

The last of the trip was spent in awkward silence. Or maybe I just thought it was awkward. This friendship business was proving to be harder than I ever thought it would be. Thankfully, the captain's voice came back over the speakers, waking up a majority of the kids. He was telling us to have a pleasant visit, and make sure to disembark safely. And when the boat moored, everyone stood up simultaneously, taking up their belongings as they tried to cram into the narrow exit. I got lost in the throng, getting separated from Tidus and Sora and Riku.

When I stepped out, I saw the storm that the weathermen had said was going to miss, could in fact be clearly seen way off in the distance. In fact, the wind had already started picking up, and I drew my coat up closer to my throat. A light splattering of rain was also coming down, so kids held their backpacks or jackets over their heads and tried to move hurriedly up to the small cabin on the edge of the woods.

I had a bunch of papers that I needed to give to the teachers before everyone got up there, though (schedules). And I was just about to try shifting my things around to get a better grip on them, when I felt the light pattering of rain against my skin stop. I looked up and saw Sora grinning down at me, holding his jacket over the both of us. I smiled appreciatively and rearranged everything.

"What'cha got there, Ahiro? Homework?" he asked peering at the papers.

He tossed the jacket over my head, blinding me, and made a grab at them. I cried out and attempted to untangle myself while still clutching the papers, but without hands or sight to do it, it didn't work too well. Suddenly, I felt his arms wrap around my shoulders and he said quickly, "Hey, you're heading for the water, Ahiro!"

I would have stopped even if he hadn't said anything. His arms wrapping tightly around my chest was enough to freeze me right to the damp wooden dock. I thought that he might even be able to hear my heart beating wildly underneath my coat. I guess I had gone temporarily deaf too, because he had turned me around and lifted up a corner of the jacket to peer into my eyes. He asked softly, "You okay? I was just joking."

Our noses would be touching if I took a half step forward. I let out a small squeak, which he enjoyably made a face at, then quickly cleared my throat and brushed past him, calling back in the most serious voice I could conjure up, "Nothing's wrong."

"You sure? You can tell me if there is, you know."

"I know…" I said softly, trying to think of an excuse for my weird unwelcome reaction. "I just have to get these papers to someone, before we get to the cabin."

"Oh well listen, why don't you let me deliver those!" he exclaimed, coming up beside me.

My heart rate was calming slightly, the uncomfortable feelings slowly falling away. Thank goodness. I bet I was just still feeling the effects of that fever I had. So, thinking it would be a good idea to rest, I gave in and told him who they were for. But I insisted on a trade-off. I took his backpack and started on my search for Riku and Tidus. Sora left me his jacket too. It smelled nice. I always like that smell.

However, at that moment, I felt someone come up behind me and grab me around the middle, hoisting me in the air. Then I was thrown over said person's shoulder, my bags dropping to the ground. I struggled and swore, but when I heard the person's laugh I stopped. It was Riku.

"C'mon! Let me down Riku!" I yelled blushing as people turned to look at what the ruckus was.

"Alright…" he chuckled, a small smile playing across his lips.

"Have you seen Tidus?" I asked as he placed me back on the ground.

"Yeah, he said that he and Selphie were going to go find some of their friends and get the sleeping arrangements down."

I felt a little dejected, but pushed it aside and said to myself: he's got other friends too. Let him have fun on his class trip, and you'll have fun on yours. Besides, you'll probably see him a ton. It is an island after all.

Riku pointed to the extra bag lying at my feet and raised a brow in question. I just shrugged, "It's Sora's, and he's doing something for me."

He didn't say anything, just bent over and slipped the bag onto his shoulder and said, "You, Sora, and I are sharing a tent, right?"

I nodded. Sora showed up then, beaming over at us. And after Sora had taken his bag back, we made our way up the small hill to the little flat expanse of land that was our camping grounds, and started setting up. It was still sprinkling rain on all of us as we tried desperately to figure out how to put Riku's tent together. It was getting dark out too, almost dinner time. We stopped working for a moment when we heard Sora's infamous stomach growl loudly.

He grinned sheepishly and said, "Looks like its dinner time, huh?"

Dinner was announced just as we got finished, all three of our stomachs growling ferociously. Our class had a few activities that were planned after. Just quick little ice breaker, start off the trip kinda things. They were optional. I chose not to participate. I just watched. Sora, I noticed, was definitely enjoying the games.

I smiled involuntarily, watching as he sat laughing with a few of the other kids.

"Tired?" Riku asked, sitting down next to me.

"Mn-hmn…" I yawned, stretching my arms as much as they could above my head. "You?"

"I'm getting there…"

We sat in silence for a while, watching the festivities pass around us.

"Riku…do you think Sora's really as alright with Kairi being here as he makes it seem?" I asked thoughtfully, watching as he horsed around carelessly with his team members.

Riku seemed to think for a moment, choosing his words carefully, "Knowing Sora, he's pushing it all to the back of his mind. That's his only flaw, I think. He doesn't know it's okay to get upset sometimes."

I felt my heart thud a little harder against my chest, and I snuck a glance up at Riku staring over at our friend. He really gets people. I just grunted in agreement and said that I was going to head off to bed.

When I had lain down, I started thinking again. Not really about anything in particular. It was that silent thoughtful doze you get into sometimes. The rain pattering softly against the tent lulled me slowly into the grip of sleep, and before I knew it, I was dreaming.

When I woke up, I noticed that it was still dark out. I blinked up blearily at the shadowy figure leaning precariously over me, and recognized that it was Sora. I asked sleepily, "What's up? What's the matter?"

He bit his lip, and I narrowed my eyes glaring up at him. I growled, "You had better have woken me up for a reason."

He nodded hurriedly and exclaimed, "I did. It's just that I feel like an idiot."

I raised an eyebrow, and he continued, "I just realized that I forgot my pillow on the boat, and all the chaperones already went to sleep."

"Yeah?" I asked still half asleep.

"I was wondering if we could share, just for tonight?" he asked, fidgeting uncomfortably.

I had enough numbed sense to feel embarrassed, and I asked incredulously, "Why not share with Riku?"

"He's already asleep, and no one can get him up until he decides to. That and you're in the middle."

I glanced around, and found his reasons to be true.

"Fine…" I mumbled, not being able to keep my eyes open any longer. I scooted the pillow over so more space was available, and felt him slide neatly beside me. That fluttering feeling I'd been getting in my chest barely registered in my mind, I was so sleepy. But being so tired couldn't cover up what happened next.

Sora turned to his side facing me, got close, and ended up resting his head against mine wrapping a loose arm around my shoulder. My eyes flew open in shock, and saw him starring right back at me. He just mumbled, "So we can fit."

I stayed quiet, afraid that my voice would crack too badly if I were to yell at him. I thought I was going to explode from embarrassment; my heart was beating so fast. He then closed his eyes and let out a sigh, whispering, "G'night…"

"Night." I squeaked.

I lay there petrified for at least fifteen minutes, watching as his eyes slowly smoothed, and his lips relaxed. Sleep finally consumed him and I calmed. I should have punched him off, the bastard. But the whole time I couldn't bring myself to do it. I know it was really weird, because we're best friends, but a small part of me felt just a little thrilled. I shuddered and focused my eyes on him again.

His eyelashes were long, long enough to brush the skin just under his eyes lightly. My heart quickened as I felt his arm tighten its hold around my middle in sleep. What was going on? I thought horrified. I feel like I want to touch him…but isn't that weird for friends?

Before I would let myself dive any further into that thorn nest of questions, I turned to my other side, shoving his arm away, and closed my eyes trying to get him out of my head. I did need some sleep for the next day, after all.

When I woke up, the others were still asleep, so I decided to go out and get the activities organized with the rest of the student council. The sky was still dark with grey storm clouds, no sign of the morning sun anywhere. I wondered, as I trudged through the cold, where Tidus might be right now; probably still asleep.

It was another 20 minutes after I started setting up before anyone else started showing up. The plan for today was a hike and a picnic battle. Then, if the water was calm enough, we might even have the time to swim. The water would still be a little warm, but I wasn't planning on swimming because of the wind chill factor. That would not be a pleasant walk back.

The day was fun. Everyone seemed to enjoy the activities. I didn't really care too much, only because I was still tired. Maybe I was getting sick again. When our class came back to the camping ground I was so relieved to see our tents. Only a little further and I would be able to take my long awaited nap.

We were just coming around the turn in the trail, the tops of the tents sitting placidly in the distance, when I saw a small hole in the side of the mountain. I felt shivers run rapidly up and down my spine as I heard the wind create a loud moaning sound as it rushed in. I kept my eye on it as we trudged by, but Sora glomped me just then, so I forgot about it shortly after I made it to the cabin for dinner.

I ate quickly, thinking I could go try and find Tidus as long as we had a break. My nap could wait. I wanted to be held in his arms first. I bade Sora and Riku goodbye as I dashed off, hearing them complaining about not eating properly as I went. Grinning, I pressed on.

I finally figured out where he was by asking this upperclassman named Wakka. He told me that he had walked up the beach a ways, talking with someone. I didn't exactly want to butt in, but then again I hadn't talked with him in a long time.

Making my way along the beach was nice, it gave me the chance to space-out and really appreciate the area. It was a while before I caught sight of him. He was standing with a girl down by the water on the rocks. They were so close to the edge, I could see the wild water splashing up against their shoes. Slowly, I started climbing down to them, the slippery rocks proving to be difficult to hold on to.

When I was a few feet away, I straightened to call out and let them know I was there, but stopped mid-breath. Tidus leaned in to the girl, as she said clearly, "I really like you Tidus…"

Pausing for a moment, he stared down at her in confusion. Then, slowly he placed an unsure arm around her shoulder and akwardly rested his head against hers. He muttered, "I…think I like you too."

"But, you're in a relationship!" she continued sadly, turning her gaze onto the thrashing waters, taking a step away. He took up her chin, turning her back to look at him, and mumbled, "I'm not sure why I'm with him exactly. I really do like him, but I have the feeling that we aren't going to go anywhere with it. It's just an experiment, it doesn't mean anything."

_Don't be scared…  
The power within you…  
Don't be afraid._

I choked, and only then did they notice me standing just behind them. The wind brushed my hair into my eyes, hiding my tears, which I was grateful for. My hands balled into fists, and I refused to look at them. I hadn't meant anything?

"Ahiro!" he exclaimed astonished. He couldn't continue with any kind of excuse though, and ended up starring horrified over at me. The girl who I now recognized from before had an identical expression, her hair bouncing around her fair face.

Tears were threatening to fall, and I didn't want to give them the satisfaction of seeing them, so I forced them back and focused on Tidus. I whispered, barely audibly over the wind, "I don't think we should be together anymore…"

A look of stabbing pain ran through both of them, and I turned to climb back up the way I came. It couldn't happen fast enough. Desperately, I scrambled up and started sprinting away, the forbidden tears back again. Why would he do that? He was such a nice guy! So why would he hurt me like that, and sneak around behind my back? It made no sense. He should've just told me what he was feeling, that bastard. I got the sudden urge to turn back and punch him, but thought again, it's not worth it.

Now I stood stock still, only a few yards away from the camping area, my heart thudding wildly. He didn't want to go out with me anymore because I was naïve enough to think that a guy like him really would think of me as something special. I was the gullible kid to screw around with. I didn't mean anything.

The conversation I had overheard ran through my mind once again, the images too vivid and painful for my liking. I wrapped my arms around myself and felt my body shaking violently, my head splitting from a headache. He had been my first relationship, my first boyfriend, my first…kiss. I'd never get those firsts back. I couldn't hold back the tears any longer. The dam holding them back was finally broken, and I wept violently, crouching down and putting my head against my knees.

It was another hour before I was able to stop. The clouds that had been reported to miss us were now bearing down over the island. The sun had disappeared behind the great billowing black clouds, casting everything in shadow. Standing, I slowly trudged back to the tent, feeling each heavy step. Lying down on my sleeping bag after everything that had happened today, proved to be the most luxurious, wonderful feeling I had ever experienced; I fell asleep almost instantly.

Later, I woke up to see Riku and Sora both asleep around me, the light pattering of rain against the fabric of the tent the only sound. I would have to tell them what happened tomorrow. Falling back against my pillow I listened to the soothing sounds of the rain and wind until I had drifted back into the dream world once again.

The next day, the storm had completely settled over us. I noticed as I stepped out the tent onto the ground that it had turned to mud, my foot sinking slightly into it. The others were still asleep, but I didn't feel like waking them, so I went to the cabin with breakfast on my mind. As soon as I stepped inside and smelled the food, I immediately lost my appetite. I just couldn't get my mind off of what happened. So, I ended up trying to read a bit, and just like the food, I couldn't do it.

I ended up putting my head down on the table, trying to force it from my mind. This was harder than I thought it would be. I was stupid for going through with it in the first place. It's my entire fault for actually trusting my feelings enough to let go. I should have taken the offer of moving up a year in school, that way I never would've met Sora and Riku and none of this would've happened.

I sat there for over thirty minutes, trying my hardest to force down my thoughts. But it couldn't be helped. I kept circling back and back to it. I got so frustrated, that I slammed my fists on the table, to the surprise of the kids around me. I blushed, and got up, intending to leave. Before I made it two feet though, I came face to face with Sora.

"What's up Ahiro?" He asked apprehensively, noting the tortured look behind my eyes.

He still didn't know what happened. I wanted to tell him. Very much so, but the eyes of everyone and even his were piercing right through my normally solid soul. I crumbled in front of him. The tears came again, and I hurriedly covered my face, pushing past him into the rain. I ended up running straight into Riku as soon as I got outside, but didn't pause.

I needed to run as far away as I could for the moment. I didn't want anyone to see me weak.

About thirty minutes later, I heard the crunching of shoes against the gravel of the path to my right. I looked up, hurriedly wiping at my eyes. I gazed up into the brilliant blue eyes of Kairi, the last person I thought I'd see. She slowly made her way to the spot of grass next to me overlooking the ocean and sat down.

It was silent for a moment while she caught her breath, the rain slowly drenching her. When she cleared her throat, I glanced over at her and saw her hair flattened to the sides of her head by rain, hanging down by her Elvin face. She mumbled in a sweet, clear voice, "I'm sorry about what happened. I heard from Selphie."

At the mention of that girl's voice, I blanched, feeling the fire erupt again. She continued, "I know how much they hurt you, and I told them exactly how terrible what they did was. They're not my friends anymore."

I nodded. That made me feel probably one percent better. Then she proceeded to place her arm around my shoulders and tug me in so we were huddled together. I didn't cry anymore. I had let the last of them escape. We just sat, two new friends in a cold stormy place.

When we were walking back, I asked her, "Why did you come looking for me?"

She blushed and said in a small voice, "Ever since I saw you that day getting onto the boat with Sora and Riku, I knew you were a good person. I was hoping actually…that we could be friends?"

"S-sure." I stuttered.

"That's good..."

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a/n: OOOOOOOHHHHHHH!!!!! This is so dramatic!!! I wonder what'll happen, next!!!

a/n2: Yeah. I know the breakup and the whole sneaking around his back part wasn't that great, but I was a little stuck on how to go about it, so...

a/n: Tis alright! I thought it was fine!!!

a/n2: Thanks.

a/n: No problemo! Well, please come back for the new chappie, comming soon!!!


	7. 6

Disclaimer: We do not own KH.

a/n: Hiya! Time for the next chappie!!! I'm so glad it's up, now!

a/n2: Yup. Some pretty exciting stuff is going to go down in this chappie, so please make sure and review.

a/n: Yeah! It makes us feel special when we hear from you!! Oh, and make sure to check out our other stories!!!

a/n2: Okay, Happy Readings...

a/n: A little more enthusiasm would be good, my dear.

a/n2: ...

* * *

Ahiro's POV:

When we made it back into camp, the day's activities were just being arranged, so I bade goodbye to my new friend and went to help. It was another twenty minutes before I saw Sora or Riku again, and that was after we had gotten into our new groups. We were going on another hike, but this time in the opposite direction to the previous day's hike. Both of them caught their group up with mine, and asked what was wrong. More like demanded, but I told them anyways, taking special care to keep my face perfectly clear of emotions; trying to be as passive as possible. For me, that was the key to forgetting.

After I was through explaining, Sora asked, "Are you sure you're alright?"

I shot him a glance and said, "Yeah. He wanted to move on. That's that."

They let it drop. But, when they fell behind, I could hear not only them whispering, but everyone else. I paid no attention, and just kept my eyes on the path ahead, pulling down my rain coat a little further to shield my eyes.

It was all uneventful after that; just the constant rain and barrage of whispers. I noticed that it was getting easier to forget now that I had opened up, and I found myself smiling more than once. Sora noticed, and he nudged me, beaming as he passed by during the race.

After it got too windy, we were told to go back as quickly as possible. Apparently the storm had taken an unpredicted turn. We were told that it was going to be a pretty big storm, and that the boat was coming back as soon as it could to take us back home. In the mean time, we had to pack all our things up and move into the cabin cafeteria for safety.

Everyone high-tailed it back to camp, and everyone was inside before you could even utter the words, "Man, its cold!"

Then we had the issue of changing our wet clothes. Our student council president Takashi was all for everyone changing coed. I just smacked him upside the head and made the suggestion of the boys going into the kitchen to change while the girls stayed out in the cafeteria. It was settled, and soon I found myself squashed into a corner with over 30 of my classmates and 25 of the upperclassmen trying to change all at once.

Sora, Riku and I decided that two of us would block while one would change. Riku went first, and I couldn't help but marvel at how amazing his body was. The only thing that bothered me was the fact that dozens of scars dotted his skin. I wondered just how he could have gotten so many. Sora went next, and he too had scars covering a good portion of his skin.

He had a pretty well defined body too for being so skinny. I felt my cheeks flush as he saw me starring and winked. He's such a dumbass. When it was my turn I felt a little intimidated by their perfect physiques and shied away, trying to hide how scrawny and small I was. I saw through my peripheral, that Sora was sneaking glances. What was he trying to do? Get my attention to make fun of me? I shrugged it off and pulled my favorite comfy white long sleeve on, followed by a slightly oversized navy blue t-shirt, and jeans. I felt much better as we waited in the throng for the okay to go back in to the cafeteria.

Of course that okay wouldn't happen for another thirteen minutes. Girls. What could you do? I was just starting to get really annoyed when we heard the signal. Everyone tried pushing forward all at once, desperate for the comfort of friends and sleeping bags. It was overwhelming.

Suddenly, two upperclassmen pushed their way through the middle of Sora and Riku, sending Sora tumbling into me. I cried out, feeling Sora fall against me and push me into the wall. Opening my eyes a crack when we had come to a stop I saw Sora still awkwardly positioned against me, trying to stay upright. His still damp and flattened hair pressed heavily against my shoulder. He smelled sweet. Like sun kissed flowers in the late spring.

He untangled himself from me and exclaimed, "Are you alright?!"

I nodded, brushing myself off, and calling after the two jerk-offs, "Watch it!"

It wasn't long before we were all situated with our friends again, talking amiably about our experiences with the activities today.

As dinner came closer, I watched the progression of the storm outside. Slowly the skies grew darker and darker, the rain and wind splashing against the windows ferociously, until I couldn't see out to the island anymore. It was getting really nasty.

"I hope the boat gets here okay." I said suddenly, still gazing out at the darkness.

"Definitely!" Chihiro sighed, braiding Megumi's hair into a thick single strand.

The chaperones tried to organize an activity, but it proved to be too difficult considering the limited space. So, we were given free time, and dinner. They told us the boat was about halfway to the island and considering that was over two hours ago…

We would be here for a while yet. It was around eight thirty now, which meant that it would reach here maybe around 11pm. Yuck.

"Excuse me…" I heard someone say softly. I looked around and saw Kairi crouched beside me. No one else noticed she had come over either, all too busy playing cards loudly. I had lain back earlier, intending to take a nap, but it hadn't happened.

"Can I talk with you?"

"Yeah…" I muttered, standing up and following her out to the hall where the bathrooms were.

She stood biting her lip and fidgeting, her long hair falling in her eyes. She finally held my gaze and said worriedly, "I'm really scared about my friend Orihime. She said she was going outside to get something she had forgotten, but…she hasn't come back."

"How long has she been gone for?" I asked seriously, watching as tears slid down her face.

"About… I don't know! I lost track!"

She wrung her hands and fidgeted, the tears pouring out from behind her eyes more heavily. I started, "Well, let's go tell a chaperone, and they'll-"

"No! We can't! She'll get in trouble!" she cried, clutching my hand abruptly. "Please, Ahiro, you have to help me!"

I asked distractedly, "Can't you ask one of your other friends?"

She shook her head and said, "I told them that I didn't want to be their friends anymore. No one wants to help me."

I thought for a moment, seeing disaster in every possible option, especially the one that included me going out. I couldn't ask Sora to help me, because this is his ex-girlfriend, nor Riku because he was Sora's best friend. And everyone else might blab and get her and her friend in trouble. Man, this sucks.

Finally, I sighed and said grudgingly, "I'll go and try to find her."

"Really?" she asked, sniffing and wiping at her eyes. "I know we barely know each other, but Sora's always talking about how great you are, and…I guess he's right."

I smiled a small smile, and felt a rush of pride and determination rise inside me. We quickly glanced around and made sure no one was looking while I snuck out through a nearby window. She smiled one last time before I slipped out into the rain, pure gratitude written across her face.

Almost as soon as I was out in the rain, I was drenched. Rain stung and pelted my face as I stumbled slowly out to the spot where Kairi described her friend to be. But the further I got from the cabin, the less amount of light was there for me. Soon I was making my way along with my hands outstretched, calling the girl's name. My teeth were chattering, and goose bumps ran everywhere on my body. Why didn't this girl answer? And why was she out so far?

I kept searching, feeling dread churn my insides. What if she was hurt? What if she was lost? What if I was lost? My heart plummeted to the furthest reaches it could go. I gulped, shaking off that last thought. Stay positive, I thought, you'll find her.

Finally, when I had gone completely numb, I decided to turn back. I needed help. This girl was obviously in trouble. Blindly, I started the long trek back to the cabin in the distance, its small lights like a beacon of hope. Before I had made it two steps, however, I felt the earth beneath my feet start to crumble.

I let out a yell and went tumbling down through the mud, trying desperately to grab onto anything I could. And just as suddenly as it had started, I came to a sudden stop, my ankle twisting under me as I landed precariously on it. The half a foot of water that sort of cushioned my fall splashed into my nose, causing me to splutter and cough. The shock I received prevented me from moving for a couple minutes, and then slowly I was able to gather my wits and glance around at where I had ended up.

It looked like a cave. A small one, with mud and rocks piled all around me. Looking up, I saw the hole that I had fallen into was massive. I knew where I was now. I had gotten lost. I had somehow ended up on the trail that we had taken two days ago. I recognized the hole as the one I saw coming back.

My ankle throbbed. I held it up out of the icy water and inspected the damage. It was swollen, the sharp pain stabbing up through my leg as soon as I took it out of the stimulating water. I placed it back, hoping the cold would keep it from getting too big.

Looking back at the entrance to my prison, I saw the steep slope of mud I had come sliding in on would be completely impossible on this ankle. I thought, please Kairi, send help soon.

Sora's POV:

We had just finished another game of poker when I finally realized that Ahiro had disappeared. I looked over the heads of the dozens of kids crowding the cafeteria, but couldn't see him. I couldn't remember the last time I saw him either. I asked Riku, but he hadn't seen him since a little after we started the card games.

I stood up, going to the bathroom to see if he was sick, but he wasn't there. I went around asking everyone, the worry mounting as time went on. No one had seen him. Finally, I got a lead when a girl said she saw Kairi and him go off to talk about forty five minutes ago. Great, I had to go talk with her.

Grudgingly, I strode over to where she sat surrounded with her new group of friends. They all quieted as I drew nearer, but I ignored them and asked gruffly, "Can we talk?"

She nodded, and followed as I led her over to a secluded corner. Turning around I studied her for a moment. She was worried. My stomach knotted, but I pushed through the alarm and asked slightly softer, "Have you seen where Ahiro went? I can't find him anywhere."

Her face darkened slightly, tears welling up in her eyes. She turned so she couldn't see my eyes and said, "I don't know. I thought he would've come back by now."

"What do you mean Kai?" I asked menacingly.

She bit her lip again and wailed, "I just wanted him to get a cold! He wasn't supposed to be out so long! I don't know what happened!"

I could only gape at her. I knew what she meant, now. She sobbed, "I asked him to go find Orihime outside! I just made up a story, but…he's been gone for so long!"

"What the hell is your problem?!" I asked astonished, backing away slowly.

She stood sniffing, her eyes searching mine desperately. That was it. I hated her finally. He better be alright, I thought as I gathered the teachers and told them about Ahiro. Then, before they could say anything against it, I sprinted out the doors, racing past the deserted camping grounds. He had to be around here somewhere.

After ten frantic minutes of searching, however, he hadn't turned up. I was inconsolable, now. Teachers tried to get me to go back inside, but I wouldn't listen. My best friend was in danger, all because of a jealous ex-girlfriend. This was my fault.

I decided to change my search area now that a sizable group was out there too, all searching the same area, the calls of his name barely audible over the wind. I hurriedly made my way up the path, the dark slowly closing in on me as I moved further and further from the flashlight's beams. I cupped my hands over my mouth and called out for him every so often.

I was about to turn back and look somewhere else, when I heard a distressed cry from ahead. I rushed forward. I recognized where I was. It was the trail from a couple days ago. I slowed to a cautionary jog, remembering that a sink hole was around here somewhere on the side of the mountain. Soon enough, I found it, my shoe hitting a rock into the cave. I peered in, straining to see through the rain and dark. That's when I caught sight of him, the sounds of shouting falling back to the distance. His white face glinted up at me relief flooding his eyes with grateful tears.

"Ahiro!" I cried out instantly. "Thank goodness!"

I slid down the mud to his side and knelt next to him in the water. He was soaked through, his small body shaking uncontrollably. He tried moving to embrace me, but suddenly hissed in pain and clutched his leg.

"What is it? Are you hurt?" I asked worriedly.

He nodded and said through clenched chattering teeth, "My ankle…"

My heart pounded against my chest as I thought of how to get him out. I turned so my back was to him and told him to get on. He did slowly after a moment's pause. I told him to hold on tightly, and gradually I started inching up the slippery slope to safe ground.

Ahiro's POV:

I clutched tightly, trying to keep my ankle from rubbing up against anything. Finally someone had come to rescue me. Sora came to rescue me. He's really trying hard to get me up to safety, I thought as he clawed up the incline. Sweat had blossomed on the back of his neck as we neared the top.

I just put my head against his back and thought, thank you Sora.

When we had gotten to the surface, Sora continued to carry me down to the campgrounds, flashlights bobbing all around, and the calls of my name faint over the wind. I just rested, knowing that I was finally going to be alright. Everyone was relieved to see me back okay. They all raced up to me and Sora and cried and clambered over our mud-clad selves. I even saw Kairi over the heads of the crowd, holding a hand to her heart, looking like she had just escaped the grip of death. I gave her a small wave and a smile, showing her that I was okay.

When we got to the cabin, they ordered Sora to take me into the kitchen. He did so silently, pressing through the students as quickly as possible. They brought in about a hundred blankets for me to burrow in, ordering me to take off all my wet clothes first. They then ordered Sora to do the same, and to get in next to me.

"Why?" he asked incredulously.

One of the teachers grunted, "If you heat up too fast, your hearts might stop. Do as you're told."

Neither of us could say anything to that, and slowly, he slipped his icy cold body in next to my shivering one. His skin felt like fire against mine. I shuddered; thankfully being covered up by my already violent shaking.

The teachers came back when my lips weren't blue anymore and asked what exactly I had been trying to do. I thought quickly. I noticed that when I was coming back through the groups of students, that that girl Orihime was there. She must have gotten back on her own. I made the excuse that I thought I saw someone out there.

I think they bought it, because I never did anything bad. I was the kid that was to be trusted. So, without any further questions, they disappeared looking for bandages and a splint for my ankle. Sora wasn't talking to me still for some weird reason. I tried catching his eye, but he just ignored me. Was he mad?

They wrapped up my ankle and sent both of us off to bed, calling out to the cafeteria the same orders. I heard groans, but everyone grudgingly obeyed, the lights flicking off soon after everyone was settled. I wasn't ready for sleep yet, so I lay gazing up into the rafters listening to the soft snores around me. The boat would be coming in the next couple of hours, and we would be home finally, I thought, my ankle throbbing dully, keeping my drained mind wide awake.

"Ahiro…" I heard Sora whisper. "Are you still awake?"

I turned on my side to look into his concerned eyes. I raised an eyebrow and he asked, "Why did you let Kairi talk you into doing something so stupid? Did you want to get killed? She's just using you to-"

I felt my face redden with anger and I whispered harshly back, "I don't know why you hate her so much, Sora! She seems nice to me, and it's not like she knew I was going to fall into that cave! Don't be so cruel! You're just jealous that I'm friends with her!"

I hadn't meant it to come out like that. I could see his body tense. It was too late to take it back, now.

He looked like he wanted to kill me, he was so livid. He then started turning over so his back faced me and mumbled, "Fine. If you really want to backstab me like that Ahiro…I understand."

I opened my mouth to apologize, but couldn't get anything to come out. Everything was going wrong in my life lately. Maybe it was better this way. Not being friends. I mean, I did say earlier that it might be better if I hadn't met them in the first place, right?

Hesitantly, I turned to my other side as well, sighing painfully, trying to get some sleep in.

The boats finally got to the island a little before half-past twelve in the morning, the gale still in full blast. It was so cold; I thought I was back in that grotto again. Who knows how cold it would have gotten if Sora hadn't shown up.

I walked alone up the plank to the slippery deck and made my way to a solitary seat, separated from everyone else, my awkward social tendencies resurfacing. What would I do without them? I had felt like myself. How was I ever going to get that back? I felt my insides crumble into dust at that thought. I would be alone again. That's the fact.

"Ahiro…? Can I talk with you for a second?" I heard a melodic voice ask above me.

It was Kairi. I wasn't exactly in the mood for a conversation, but I couldn't say no to her.

I followed her out onto the deck and waited in silence as she fidgeted in front of me, trying to sort out what she was going to say. Finally she blurted, "Ahiro, I'm so sorry! Orihime didn't tell me the whole truth, you see. She met Takuto outside, and had to talk with him. So I told you the wrong place to go! You could've died! I'm so sorry!"

"Oh..." I blushed, shuffling my feet slightly. She suddenly took up my hands and gazed directly into my eyes. I could see them burning ferociously on the inside, but full of tears on the out. That confused me, so I recoiled, not knowing if she was going to start yelling.

She exclaimed, "Ahiro, please let me make it up to you?! Please give me a second chance!"

I looked at her again and I saw that her eyes were pleading now. I was a little flustered, and I couldn't speak. But she held my hands tightly still, gazing into my eyes as if they were the only things holding her to this earth.

"O-okay…"

She was taller than me by only a little, so when she hugged me, she bent slightly and wrapped her arms around my shoulders as tightly as she could. I choked at the loss of air and she jumped back and mumbled an apology.

Then she exclaimed happily, "I'm so glad! Ever since Sora started talking about you, I've wanted to get to know you! I'm so happy you agreed to go on a date with me!"

"A what?!" I squeaked, backing up into the wall, my head bouncing against it slightly.

She just nodded and hugged me again. She then giggled, "So, I'll meet you at the corner of 23rd and Coral and we'll go see a movie! See you Friday at…say six?!"

I was about to stammer back, but she was already walking away, a huge grin across her face. I stood horror struck on the deck. A date? With my Ex-Best Friend's Ex-girlfriend?! No way! I shook my head and shut my eyes as tight as they would go. I wanted to disappear from all this mess. I just wanted to go home and be done with it. Why me?! What am I gonna do?!

I had the rest of the trip to ask myself that same question over and over again, and the whole next week of school as the storm passed. I was walking to school the day of the "date", when I saw the first snow of the season. I stopped and gazed up in to the sky as the white flakes drifted lazily down to our sleepy town. I shivered and drew my coat around me more securely, thinking, I never liked snow.

Everyone seemed to have caught on to what was going on with me and Sora. There were rumors floating around everywhere, I couldn't get away from them. Some were bad…and some were almost unbearable. I nearly punched a kid who was talking about something involving Sora and Tidus and me as a bitch. The look on his face when I came back nearly steaming with rage was priceless, I guess he didn't think a small kid like me could put up a fight. Lucky Megumi was there to hold me back; otherwise I would have pounded his face into the ground.

I could barely go to school anymore; so many people talking about me, my best friends ignoring me, my ex boyfriend across the courtyard in plain sight, taunting me. It was too much.

Apparently Sora had caught wind of what happened with me and Kairi, too. I overheard him and Riku talking about it one day after school. When Riku told Sora, I thought I would die. I got cold and rigid, and couldn't breathe. Sora's facial expression didn't change at all. Then he turned and rapidly went in the opposite direction. Riku just shook his head sadly and headed off as well. As he passed by, he noticed me standing against the wall completely petrified and stopped dead in his tracks.

"I'm sorry…" he mumbled, walking past.

How was I ever going to understand people…they're all too complicated; a nuisance. I rubbed my temple slowly as I trudged through the thick layer of snow coating the ground, heading in the direction of the movie theater. Kairi had bombarded me in the hall about where we would meet specifically after school earlier in the week. It had been shortly before Riku found out.

She told me where we were going to meet specifically, and at what time; very loudly. I think that's where people found out. She was acting really weird. It's odd, but it seems like desperation is what's driving her. I don't know what the reason is, but I still feel bad for her. She is the only person I can really call a friend right now.

I clenched my fists in my pockets and strode on, making my way into town as swiftly as I could, trying to get Sora and all of his ridiculousness out of my head. I made it to my destination in no time after that. I looked up at the clock across the street on the baker's shop and saw that I was fifteen minutes early.

The wind brushed by me, carrying the scents of Christmas with it. I pulled my scarf up to cover my nose and shivered. It was cold out here.

Sora's POV:

Riku was coming over today. When he suggested we get together for a movie night, he thought I wouldn't remember that the same night was Ahiro's alleged 'date' with Kairi. It was nice of him, but even after he came in and we popped in Mega Androids II, I couldn't get Ahiro out of my head. We were about halfway through the second movie when I looked over at the clock and saw it was eight fifteen.

I asked trying to sound unconcerned, but still coming out bitterly, "I wonder how their movie was?"

"Thinking about him, huh?" Riku asked softly, not taking his eyes off the screen of my TV.

I didn't reply. I just looked down and fumed. How could he betray me like that? I thought he was a different kind of guy. I don't know. Maybe I was being too harsh. I shook my head in despair. I wasn't mad at him; I guess I was just mad that another person was taken in by Kairi's snake-like charms. It's hopeless to think he'll forgive me for being so stupid. It's just that I…

The credits were rolling on the screen just when the phone rang. I jumped, the sound not even registering in my mind for a moment. But when Riku threw me a glance that read: well, are you going to get that? I jumped up immediately.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Sora…?" a small voice asked from the other end.

I couldn't recognize who it was so I said unsurely, "Yeah…who's this?"

"…it's Kairi…"

My breath hitched in my throat, and I froze for a moment. Then I realized that I had to act like I didn't care, clearly this was a test of hers. I asked happily, "Oh, hi! Was your movie with Ahiro good?"

"I don't know."

I faltered slightly, then asked, all traces of my fake happiness gone, "Oh…you didn't go see it? What did you do, then?"

She whispered, "…I wonder how long he'll wait?"

My heart skipped a beat, thinking wildly what was going on? I asked seriously, "Kairi…where's Ahiro?"

"I can see him from here…he's still waiting for me to show up. It's pretty cold out, don't you think?" she mumbled thoughtfully.

"Kairi, where are you?!" I asked angrily, nearly splitting the phone in two with my grip. Riku had frozen where he stood by the TV, listening intently.

"In a café on the second story of a bookstore on the corner of 23rd and Coral." She said evenly.

"I'll be right there!" I called, slamming the phone down. My heart was racing, my fury over what Ahiro had said dried up completely. I should have known she would have tried to do something like this. And Ahiro was the perfect person to use against me. He was too nice for his own damn good! Why did I have to be so thick?! I should have seen this coming. I said to Riku, hurriedly pulling on my coat and hat, "Ahiro's in trouble."

He immediately headed for the door, pulling his coat on as he went. I followed after him, locking the door and sprinting as fast as I could with him by my side. Don't worry; I thought my breath coming out in short gasps. We're coming.

When we finally got to the café I saw that huge snowflakes were starting to wiz by in the wind. I didn't even bother shaking off the snow from my boots or my coat; I just pushed past the waitress and went in. I spotted Kairi sitting by the window, looking very beautiful, and sipping from a warm drink. I ran up to her, but didn't bother talking. I was looking for Ahiro. My eyes scanned the winter laden streets outside, searching every face in the crowd. I followed her gaze to the lamp post just outside the window. I watched as he shifted, stamped his feet, and blew into his hands as a gust of wind chilled him. I turned back to Kairi and asked angrily, "Why aren't you down there?!"

She turned her gaze on me and said calmly, "Go ahead."

I was astonished. I looked at Riku who also had the look of pure shock written across his face. She let out a small squeak, and when I glanced back, I saw that she was gazing horrified down at where Ahiro stood looking up at us. He looked around, and then started in the direction of the door on the other side of the building.

She jumped up and clasped the front of my coat in her iron-clad grip and squealed, "What'll I do, Sora?! He'll be so mad!"

I tried pushing her off, but I couldn't shift her. She only stopped struggling when we heard Ahiro's small voice say, "Hey…"

We both turned to look at him at the same time. His face was filled with utter confusion, his hand raised to point at us in bewilderment. We were definitely in an odd situation. Kairi latched onto my front desperately, Riku standing awkwardly next to me. Understanding flashed across his face as he stared for a few more seconds. Then he exclaimed, "Oh my god…"

Here it comes, I thought. He's got the wrong impression, and now I'll never be able to say I'm sorry. I braced myself.

"Did I get the place wrong?"

My head snapped up in complete surprise. I couldn't believe it! How dumb could a person be?! We all stared at each other for a few moments, but the silence was broken by Riku chuckling and putting an arm around Ahiro's shoulder.

"What? Am I missing something? Why are you guys here, anyways?" he asked indignantly. Kairi was still in a state of shock, and I heard her mumble, "A really nice guy…"

"Oh…here…" Ahiro said sheepishly, a blush burning his cheeks as he ducked out from under Riku's arm. He walked up to Kairi, and I felt her flinch, but relaxed when she saw him stop and extend his hand toward her. "This is for you."

He averted my gaze, and totally ignored me as he held out a small present to her. The container was clear, so I could see an intricately decorated sweet in the palm of his hand. His fingers were bright pink, and when their hands touched, her eyes instantly blossomed with tears.

"Ahiro, I'm so sorry!" she cried, pulling him against her for a hug. I backed away uncomfortably, but she pushed him away and ran out shortly after.

"What was that all about?" he asked softly, gazing after her.

"It's complicated." Riku said amusedly. "Well, do you want to join us for a movie? Besides, I think Sora has something he wants to say to you."

My face reddened as Ahiro shot an unsure glance up at me, the hurt plain in his deep blue, almost black eyes. The words I wanted to say seemed to stick in my throat. I looked to Riku for some help, but he just shook his head and said, "I've got to go to the bathroom."

I gaped as he wandered off, a smug air about his person. I guess I deserved that. But now my nerve was totally shot. I looked back at Ahiro and noticed that he was a little reluctant to be alone with me too. He stood uncomfortably, starring at Kairi's forgotten drink. We were there in awkward silence for a few seconds, the tension building between us so I could almost feel it.

He finally mumbled, clearing his throat, "I think I have something to do, so…"

He turned abruptly and started making his way to the door. The bubble burst between us, and I felt my stomach lurch. I found the courage to say something. I forced my legs to follow him out the door he had disappeared behind and into the cold. I looked around for him, and almost didn't see him disappear around the corner to 23rd. I sprinted after him, catching up quickly. Then I stretched out my hand and caught his elbow and pulled. He gasped as he swung around, losing his footing on the slippery snow, thudding against my chest.

He pushed me away and stammered, "S-Sora?! What the hell?!"

I suddenly thought as I looked down at him, his blush making him look small and vulnerable, I forgot he was younger than me…he seems so mature. He looked up at me expectantly, clearly wanting to be somewhere else at the moment.

"Ahiro, listen, I'm sorry I acted like such an idiot. I just didn't want anything bad to happen to you. You're my best friend." I said quietly, careful to stare only at the ground.

It was quiet for a moment, the rush of snow the only sound permeating the silence. I was about to walk away, thinking it was hopeless, when I felt his arms wrap around my middle. My eyes widened as I looked down at his head buried in my chest and heard him mumble, "I'm sorry too!"

We didn't have to say anything else. Everything was alright again. Relief flooded through me as I placed my arms precariously over his shoulders. It felt like I had that important piece of me back. I suddenly heard a throat clear behind us and Riku call over non-chalontly, "So you guys kiss-and-make-up?"

My face reddened, and I was about to yell back, but I got the wind knocked out of me as Ahiro's fist landed on my stomach. He cried, "Kiss?! No!"

He backed away from me quickly and I wheezed after a few awkward seconds, "So…you wanna join us for a dude's night, or not?"

He fidgeted the color in his cheeks still evident. Then he caught sight of me smiling and grinned back, muttering, "Why not…"

As we trudged home through the bracing cold, I noticed that Ahiro was shivering; his lips tinted a light blue. I took my hat and quickly placed it on his head, then proceeded to shove my gloves over his frozen hands. He pushed his inky-black bangs out of his eyes and tried to protest, attempting to give them back, but I insisted. It took a while to convince him, but after the warmth started returning to him, he stopped and uttered a small thank you. I just smirked and put my hood up over my spikes and buried my hands deep in my pockets.

I thought, smiling to myself, I definitely won't let anything get in the way ever again. From now on, I'm going to try my hardest to keep him safe.

* * *

a/n: OOOOOHHHHHH! How wonderful was that?! I thought it was great!

a/n2: Yup, you'll start seeing more hints to them figuring out their feelings, now.

a/n: *huggles a/n2*

a/n2: *pushes a/n off (gently)*

a/n: *whimpers pitifully*

a/n2: *rolls eyes and gives in*

a/n: YAY!!! See you next time!!


	8. 7

Disclaimer: We do not own KH.

a/n: Hoho! Back yet again for another chappie!!!

a/n2: Indeed. This one is a bit shorter, and it's not too eventful, but I plan on updating soon. The next chappie after this one will be extremely exciting.

a/n: What?! Why can't you just put up all of it!!! I want to know, now!!!!! Waaahhhh

a/n2: *hands over a kleenex and pats head*

a/n: *sniffles* Alright, happy readings. BTW: THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS REVIEWED!!! IT MEANS A LOT!!!!

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Ahiro's POV:

I hadn't really paid attention to how cold I was until Sora gave me his gloves and hat, and then I started thawing. We couldn't get to Sora's house fast enough. By the time we got to Sora's house, we were all shivering and pink with cold. We all piled into the living room and huddled under a huge pile of blankets, the feeling in our fingers coming back slowly. Sora then got up to get some warm drinks and Riku put in a new movie. Sora came back a few minutes later, pressing a mug of hot chocolate into my hands. We bundled up again, Riku and me on the couch, with Sora leaning against our legs on the floor. We settled in, letting the warmth overpower us, nearly putting us to sleep.

Riku was the first to fall asleep. He fell against my shoulder, breathing deeply as the screen flickered, his hair falling into his eyes. I felt the heat rush to my face. It was just Sora and me awake, now. Sora still looked wide awake, the action film capturing every fiber of his attention. I studied the back of his head, and thought, his hair looks really soft. I wonder what it feels like.

I remembered something from when my mother and I had been watching a movie, back when she was still alive. It was kinda like this. She would play with my hair, relaxing me until I fell asleep. It was such a nice feeling. That was one of my only memories of her. I smiled, reaching spontaneously out to run a hand through Sora's hair. I stopped abruptly, realizing what I just did, but when he didn't say anything, I tested it again, twisting my finger around a strand of hair.

He didn't even seem to notice. So I continued, messing with his extremely soft hair. He was now resting against my leg, breathing deeply as the end of the movie neared. And when the end credits started rolling, he mumbled sleepily, "That was nice…"

I grinned as he stood up, stretching his back. He rubbed his eyes and stared at me sitting next to a slumbering Riku. Sora seemed to shake the rest of the sleep away then and asked, "Do you want to go sleep in my room?"

"S-sure." I stammered helping Sora put Riku up so I could squeeze my way out. Then he motioned for me to follow him up the stairs. I trailed after him feeling that uncomfortable fluttering in my stomach. He pushed open a door on the far end of the hall, and disappeared inside. When I took my first look at his room, I could definitely tell it was his. Everything about it screamed this is Sora's! I smiled, looking at the cluttered bookshelf, the unkempt desk, and the unmade bed.

I could see the ocean through the window and snow, the waters looking gray and wild as the winter winds churned them. Sora flopped on his bed and mumbled, "There're some blankets over there."

When I had gathered all I needed, I came back and started setting up a place on the wooden floor. When I was done, I looked up and saw that Sora was fast asleep. I stared at him for a moment, for no particular reason, just captured by his ethereal look. I then shook my head, climbing under my covers. After a few seconds of silence, I whispered to the ceiling, "Thank you…Sora."

After the weekend was over, I noticed two things. One, that the weather was getting warmer (it normally only snowed a couple times, then started back to being at tropical temperatures), and two, that my class all seemed to breathe a sigh of relief when they saw Sora and me were alright again. I was glad too. This was how I liked it, best. Kairi was still talking to me, too, and Sora didn't care. No one would tell me what happened still, but whatever.

Kairi came up to the three of us before class and handed me a small parcel. She mumbled, "I'm sorry our date didn't work out. Really."

Then she ran off before I could say anything. She does that a lot I guess. I opened it during lunch and saw that there were three candy bars, and two free movie tickets that didn't expire. I split up the candy, dolling some out to everyone and put the tickets in a safe place.

You could tell that Christmas was in a little under two weeks; decorations, excited whispers, mistletoe, everything. I was excited too, and yesterday I had gone out and found the perfect presents for Riku and Sora. I found Riku a really nice wallet, and Sora a sweater (he never wears enough for the weather). Now I just needed some money. The meager amount that my father sent me from overseas every week didn't leave any extra after I bought food and other essentials, so I was a little stuck.

Luckily, during lunch, I overheard a couple girls talking about how they were getting part-time jobs in order to pay for their Christmas presents. That was it! I needed a job! It was perfect, too because I just got done settling loose ends with the student council. I was free! I went around looking for a job after tutoring, and found the perfect place. It was a grocery store. The old woman that owned it was more than happy to hire me for the next few weeks. She said they were short-handed for the rush, so I could work until Christmas, and not after at all. Perfect!

I went to work every day after that. My station was the cash-register, and the clean-up kid. It was a lot of hard work. Everything was sore by the end of the week, but the little parcel of money I got was enough to make me feel okay about going another week. At school, the guys seemed to notice that I was tired. I had fallen asleep in the middle of science, my head resting against my hand.

Sora whispered jolting me awake, "Ahiro?! What's up? You've been really tired lately."

"Oh, It's my job…they had me lift boxes yesterday 'cause we're short on loading guys." I muttered, trying to rub the sleep away. Sora gaped back at me and asked, "When did you get a job?!"

I blinked, hadn't I told him? I guess not, judging from the look of surprise. I nodded, "Yeah, at old lady Harumi Takahoshi's store."

"Isn't that in kind of a bad part of town?!" he asked worriedly.

I frowned, and then I whispered back fiercely, "What does that have to do with it?"

"You walk home alone, don't you?" Riku suddenly asked, also joining in our conversation.

Sora's eyes widened, and he said, "There're perverts out there, and you're not exactly intimidating."

I smacked him in the back of the head with my book and muttered, "I'm fine! I just needed a little extra money for Christmas."

They turned back then, looks of worry still on their faces. I rolled my eyes and tried concentrating on the new work the teacher was writing on the board.

When I got to work after school that day, I went about as usual, cleaning, checking customers out, and re-stocking the shelves. I was walking back with Mrs. Takahoshi to get more decorations out of the store room, when I saw them. Sora and Riku were both heaving boxes around with the other box-boys from the new shipment. I stormed up to them and asked livid, "What do you think you're doing here?"

"Needed Christmas present money." Riku mumbled, continuing to stack boxes.

Sora nodded, wiping a gloved hand across his sweating brow and breathed, "Yeah…got more friends than usual this year."

He winked up at me as he went to get another box. I could've kicked him in the back of the head if I wanted, but I held back, instead channeling my frustration to my work. I huffed and worked harder than anyone else. I could take care of myself. Who did they think they were?!

Even though it was getting warmer out, wind still carried in the cold air as the doors were opened. It was nice. The only thing that bothered me was my bangs getting in my eyes when the wind would blow in. One of my co-workers leaned over from her cash register and said she could help with that. I blushed as she pushed back my bangs and placed some of her extra barrettes in my hair. Bad thing was that they were pink. How stupid did I look now? I thanked her anyways and continued working. They did the job.

Sora came in once to find a cart to use for some of the heavier boxes, and caught sight of me. I gave a little wave, but he just looked away and went hurriedly to go find Mrs. Takahoshi. I shook my head and thought, you can wave to people while working, dumbass.

After a couple hours I saw a few girls from school come in, stamping the snow from their shoes, and exclaiming how cold it was. I was mopping up a spill at that time, so I waved at them and smiled. Megumi was there, and as soon as they all caught sight of me, they came rushing up. They all gushed over how cute I looked in my apron. I backed away uncomfortably, finding my back against a shelf.

"You look SO cute!" one girl squealed.

I looked down at myself and thought, really? I was just wearing my favorite pair of jeans, those ridiculous pink barrettes, and a beige turtleneck sweater with my plain green apron. I don't get it.

They stuck around for a while after that, continually coming over to my register and buying some new snack, then going back for more. They left after an hour. I was kind of glad. They were really bothersome.

Finally it was time to close. Riku and Sora had left about two hours before when Mrs. Takahoshi said their services weren't needed until tomorrow. They wanted to hang around and wait for me, but I nearly bit their heads off and they got the message. I closed quickly, and headed home.

It was like that for the rest of the week. I did notice however, a lack in enthusiasm during my tutoring sessions. Sora even started dozing off. I just smacked him and continued explaining the newest formula in math. I knew it was because they were moving all those boxes and working so hard. Idiots.

After school, I got their presents, and then rushed to work for the last day. After we had locked up and cleaned, she gathered up all the employees and said, "Great job everyone. You all have fulfilled my Christmas wish. Here's your pay, and have a good holiday."

We all smiled and left. I'd miss working there, but I was glad I'd have time to do my homework. Sora came running up to me and asked as we pulled on our coats, "So what're your Christmas plans?"

"I don't have any." I replied evenly. Thinking about the empty house I would be going back to.

"Good!" he exclaimed. "Do you want to meet at my house later and we'll go to Riku's? He invited us over for dinner."

I remembered that Sora would have been alone this Christmas too. I thought for a moment, and then said, "That sounds great."

I went to his house after I changed and tried to tidy up my hair at seven thirty. Then, we both started our long walk to Riku's house on the other side of town. He has an amazing house. As we turned around the corner and Sora pointed it out, I couldn't help but feel a little intimidated. It looked like the same size as mine, but the openness and inviting feeling that was coming from it, was unfamiliar and very daunting.

But as soon as we steeped foot in the house, I forgot about what was bothering me. Before I had enough time to even breath in the aroma of a freshly made Christmas dinner, I was enveloped in a woman's arms, her squeals of delight echoing in the huge entrance way.

"Aren't you the cutest thing?!" she cried, squeezing me still further. "Riku's told us SO much about you! Sora! How are you, dear?!"

"Fine, thank you." He grinned, slipping into a pair of slippers.

She released me only when her husband came up and said that he wanted to meet me before she killed me. She huffed playfully and ran back off to the kitchen. Riku's father came up then, and I noticed where he got his looks from. The white hair, the green eyes, they were almost identical. His father, however, had his hair much shorter, and was sporting a beard.

He shook my hand and said, "It's an honor to meet such a fine young man."

I blushed and said, "Thank you."

He continued to offer me compliments and such the whole time until dinner was served. Where in the world did Riku ever get his personality from? He wasn't anything like either of his parents. Something told me that when Riku and Sora had disappeared for those years, something happened to Riku.

I couldn't think any further on the matter because his mother burst in with her arms full of plates. I tried helping, but she shooed me away and pinched my cheek saying, "You're so sweet, but Riku tells me you live alone, so it's about time you had a meal cooked and served by someone other than yourself."

I blushed and sat down again, throwing Riku a quick look. He just shrugged and smiled, taking a sip of his drink. The rest of dinner was a lot of fun. His mother kept us entertained most of the night with stories of her childhood, how she met Riku's Dad, and so on. I don't think I've ever eaten so much in my life.

After we were done, Riku invited us up to his room. It was huge too, plus he had a giant balcony that overlooked the ocean. It was still a bit chilly, but I insisted on going out anyways. The view was spectacular! Just off shore, you could see the little play island sitting on top of the waves. That dream I had came back to me suddenly, and I smiled, leaning against the white marble rail.

Riku and Sora came up on either side of me, and we all stood looking out at our childhoods together. Then I remembered the presents I had gotten them. I told them to wait for me, and I ran down to get them. When I pressed them into their hands, I was a little nervous. I hoped they would like them.

Riku got his unwrapped first, so I studied his expression. He was smiling. That's good. Sora was smiling too, his eyes sparkling with excitement as he held up the sweater. I asked tentatively, "So, you like them?"

Riku nodded, fastening the chain to his pants, and sticking the wallet in his back pocket.

"It's awesome!" Sora said, struggling to put his head through the neck of the sweater. "Why a sweater, though?"

I blushed and said, "You never wear enough winter things. I didn't want you to be cold."

Sora blushed too, and continued putting it on. It looked great on him. The dark red contrasted well with his light blue eyes and his chocolate hair. They then went and got their presents. Riku came back first. He handed it to me roughly; his cheeks tinted a light pink.

I wasn't quite sure what it was at first. It was small and made of wood. Riku took it and explained to me how it worked. He told me it was a surprise how it opened, and that I'd have to figure it out myself. It was in the shape of a regular circle. He said that the real present was inside, but no matter how much I pleaded with him to tell me how to open it, he wouldn't tell me.

Sora came in just then, handed Riku his present and looked over at me apologetically. He said sadly, "I think I accidentally left it at my house. Sorry Ahiro."

"It's alright." I said waving my hands.

After we had gotten done exchanging gifts, we played video games. It was fun. They aren't really my thing, so I ended up losing against both of them in a matter of seconds. After that I decided to watch. Then, at around ten, Sora and I decided that we'd head out. Riku and his family said their goodbyes. His father gave me a handshake, Riku waved, and his mother buried me in another hug saying that I absolutely HAD to come back soon.

I asked Sora as we walked down the road, "Why is Riku so different from his parents, do you think?"

Sora slowed. I thought he was angry because I asked, but when I looked back I saw that he was just thoughtful. After a moment, he said, "I think it happened when we were on that trip. Riku grew up then, and since his folks weren't around, he grew up into the person he is."

My eyebrows knitted together in question and he asked, "What?"

"I just thought that…I thought that you guys left because of a family emergency."

He suddenly grew rigid, his eyes widening slightly. It was silent for close to a minute, and finally Sora sighed, rubbing his eyes. He motioned for me to follow him over to the curb and we sat down. What was up? I thought as I gazed at his uncharacteristically serious face.

"I can't think of an excuse, and…I think that you're close enough of a friend that I can tell you this. So here it is…"

He told me about it all, the heartless, Kairi, Riku, nobodies, Roxas, Namine, Axel…Kingdom Hearts…everything. All those pictures in his living room finally made sense. There were other worlds! Hundreds! I couldn't believe it at first, and then I looked into his eyes. There was no mistaking it. I could see everything he'd been through in those eyes.

He gazed at me and said, "You can't tell anyone."

There was absolutely no hint of a joke in those words. I nodded and whispered, "I promise."

We got up and headed out again. What time was it? I looked at my watch and saw that it was almost one in the morning. I showed Sora and asked him, "Do you mind if I crash at your place tonight?"

He had no objections. So we both made our way slowly to his place. I couldn't help myself from not asking questions though. He didn't seem to mind, however. He told me all about his adventures, his friends, and enemies. It was still a little surreal, and a little hard to wrap my brain around. But I trusted him.

When we got inside, he told me to wait in the living room while he got my present. I went immediately over to the pictures. I could guess who some of them were. Like Donald and Goofy, Leon and the gang, Winnie the Pooh, Ariel, Mulan, everyone. I studied each, trying to picture their worlds from the small fragments that were in the background.

"I miss them."

I jumped slightly, turning to see Sora starring over at me with a smile on his lips. He came up next to me and looked at each frame in turn, going over each face, remembering. He finally said, "It's alright, though. I know I'll see them again. Besides, as long as I keep them in my hearts, I'll never forget them."

I felt warm all over, and I gazed up into his face glassy eyed. He was a really great guy. I shook my head when he moved away. When I sat down he handed me his present. It was a necklace; its pendant was what I assumed to be a keyblade. I ran my hand over it gently, taking in the details.

I looked up and asked him, "How did you…?"

"I had to draw it out for the jeweler, but I thought you'd like it, so…" he said embarrassed.

I smiled and gave him a quick hug. I said, "It's awesome, Sora, thank you!"

He smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. I then asked, still marveling at the little keyblade, "Sora…do you still have your keyblade?"

He didn't reply, so thinking I said something wrong I exclaimed, "You don't have to tell me! I was just wondering –"

"No, it's alright. Here," He muttered, standing up suddenly and thrusting his hand out.

There was a flash of bright light and, materializing in his hand, was the life size keyblade. I gaped up at it. It was beautiful. No scratches, no chips, no nothing to mark its many battles. I reached a hand up to touch it, but hesitated, looking to Sora to see if it was alright. He just grinned and offered it to me.

Carefully, I reached up and took it. It was surprisingly light considering it was a giant metal key, but granted, everything about Sora's adventure was a little weird. I ran my hands along it, feeling the warm metal.

"It's like it's alive…" I said disbelievingly, the metal almost seeming to vibrate with life beneath my fingers.

Sora chuckled and said, "I guess it kinda is. The King says that the keyblades of keybearers are part of them."

"The King? That's Mickey, right?"

He nodded. I handed the keyblade back to him and he made it vanish. I asked in awe, "Where does it go?"

He was perplexed for a moment, then laughed, "You know, I don't know!"

After about fifty more questions we decided that sleep would be a good idea, considering that school was in two days. We didn't want to get our sleep patterns out of whack. So I bade him goodnight as he disappeared up the stairs to his room and pulled the covers up as I made myself comfortable on his couch. I didn't sleep right away; instead I kept running over all the information in my mind. Before I finally let myself fall into the grips of sleep, I thought, I wonder if Sora and Riku would take me to those different worlds some day.

That night I had a weird dream, which probably only happened because Sora had just told me all that stuff. It wasn't very pleasant. I was walking along the beach at night, the stars shining brilliantly above me next to the luminescent moon. I smiled as I strolled along, listening to the sounds of the calming waves. By the looks of it, I was on the play island. I hadn't been there since the last time my mother took me. I was alone, the only company being the stars.

Suddenly, I felt something grab a hold of my foot, stopping me in my tracks. I gasped and looked down, seeing a black writhing substance slowly creeping up to envelope my bottom half. I tried to struggle, but it held me tightly. I couldn't move, now. I panicked, thrashing around until my arms were taken too. No one could hear me.

I saw creatures spring up from out of the darkness, black things that looked like little people with long, thin bodies. They weren't heartless, or nobodies. These were something new. Their long legs carried them over to me, their gnarled hands reaching. They had abnormally elongated bodies, like I said, with large round heads that had no faces. On their torsos they had random red swirls flowing on its solid black body, a set of glowing yellow eyes glinting over at me. They came closer, step by step, their arms and legs crookedly carrying them over. These things would use not only their feet, but their hands to walk on. I saw that the length of their arms were the same as their legs.

They were closing in, their steps echoing in the blackness that now completely surrounded me. I tried calling out, but I couldn't find my voice. I was done for. Suddenly, I heard the familiar sound of a keyblade being called out. One by one there was a flash of white light where the things stood and they dematerialized in a puff of swirling black. I looked around wildly for the person destroying them, but every time I would switch my gaze to a new victim, the person would already have moved on to the next.

An unfamiliar voice called out, as I was freed from the darkness, "Be careful…you can't trust your dreams."

"Who are you?" I called out weakly.

The person just laughed and said, "I'm a nobodie."

Gasping, my eyes flew open. I was breathing heavily; sweat drenching my body as I gazed up at the ceiling in Sora's living room. It took me a moment to regain my senses, but even when I did I still didn't understand what just happened. That was the weirdest dream ever.

I sat up, rubbing my face with my hands, trying to shake that helpless feeling from myself; definitely odd. I mumbled into my hands confusedly, "I can't trust my dreams...?"

Whatever, I thought, getting up to start breakfast for Sora and me. It was only a dream, nothing huge. I made breakfast quickly, waking Sora up when I had finished. We ate in silence, both still trying to wake up. Then I told him after I had cleaned up, that I'd see him at school the next day. I had forgotten about the dream by the time I had gotten home.

At school, I had fun talking to my friends about what they did over Christmas. There were a lot of fun stories. Atsushi had the funniest one, though. We all got a kick out of hearing his twin brother tell us how Atsushi's girlfriend mistook Atsashi for him and gave him Atsushi's present. Apparently, it was something really dirty. Atsashi got punched in the arm for telling us that, but the look on Atsushi's face was too priceless for us to really feel sorry for him.

Sora, Riku, and I were going over the newest school work that day, when we received an unexpected visitor. It was Megumi. She smiled over at us and called, "Hi! I'm so glad I found you!"

"What's up?" Sora asked, tipping his chair precariously back on its legs.

"Well, I just wanted to invite you guys up to my grandparents' shrine for the New Year festival. A whole bunch of others are coming to celebrate too." She mumbled, tucking her hair behind her ears.

"Your grandparents own a shrine?" I asked.

She nodded and said, "It's one of the oldest ones."

"Cool!" Sora exclaimed, slamming his chair down. "We'll go!"

I smacked him with my book and yelled, "Don't just volunteer people, stupid!"

He winced and grinned cheekily up at me. I turned to her and said calmly, "I'd love to go."

She blushed and said, "That's good. Um, well were all wearing our Kimonos and Yukatas stuff, so…"

We all nodded, and waved to her as she backed out the door, still blushing. I asked myself, do I even have a Kimono? The last one I had was from a long time ago. My father never really bothered to get me another one since we never went to any festivals or anything. I'd have to go digging around then.

When I bade Sora goodbye at the bottom of the hill, and gotten in my house I began the search. If I couldn't find one, then I would have to go out and get one with the leftover money from working at Mrs. Takahoshi's shop. I looked through all my things first, with no luck, then turned my attention to looking in old boxes in the basement since I knew my father was much too tall for me to be able to fit into any of his. He had always told me not to look through them, but I didn't think he'd care since he was overseas at the moment.

There were so many old things in here. Stuff from when I was a kid, things that belonged to my mother. If I had known there was all this down here, I would have done this earlier. He had told me he got rid of all this long ago. I just thought these were old clothes or his things. The first box I opened contained old toys of mine. I looked through them smiling, holding one close for a moment, remembering the old memories. Then I moved on to the next, finding photos. I took up one that had my mother and me in it. She and I looked a lot alike. We looked so happy. I noticed then, that there was a tear on one side, where I supposed another person might be. I went rifling around in the box, searching for the other piece. I found it, stuck to another picture. I didn't recognize this man. He was small, barely taller than my mother, but then I noticed something. My hands started shaking as I caught sight of his eyes. I had always wondered where I got my eyes from. Both my parents had small green eyes, and looking down into this man's big dark blue, almost black eyes, I saw my own starring up at me.

That couldn't be.

But then I started running over the countless accident reports in my mind. My mother and her driver had driven off a cliff into the ocean when their brakes went out. I studied the photograph again and saw that the man had my hand in one of his, and in his other hand he had a driver's cap.

This man in the photo…was my real father?

I don't know how long I sat down there, trying to justify my new finding. Everything I thought of came back to him being my real father. My own "father", had killed my mother because he found out I hadn't been his actual child? Rage boiled up inside. I couldn't believe him. That bastard! No wonder he hated me so much! He knew all along!

I continued rifling through all the boxes, finding documents that suggested my father had ordered one of his men to cut the breaks, and payoffs to the police to make it all look like an accident. Then I found it, an old Kimono of my mother's. I held it up against me and saw that I was just about her size. It even smelled faintly like her perfume.

I hadn't realized how much I missed my mom. I remembered the day she had her "accident". I had cried in my nanny's arms for the good part of two hours, and then my father came in and yelled, "Quit being such a pansy! Man up! I will not tolerate crybabies in my house!"

Then he fired my nanny, made me do all the chores, made me cook, and gave me crap about school work, and so on. Essentially I became a sort of Cinderella, and didn't even realize it. I put all the boxes neatly away, carrying up the things I wanted to my room.

I flopped down onto my bed, gazing out the small window at the far end of my room. The tree outside didn't have snow covering it anymore, and I could see the sun through the naked branches. The weather was going back to normal again. Closing my eyes, I thought to myself, what a day.

I had the same dream again, with those weird creatures and the blinding flashes of white light. But this time after the unfamiliar voice said, "Be careful…you can't trust your dreams." I didn't ask who he was. Instead I asked, "What were those things?"

He chuckled lightly and said, "Those are Chasers, the figments of your imagination."

I shook my head muttering, "But, they looked so real…"

"They are."

My head snapped up to see a black cloaked figure standing before me. I started, "But you said they were-"

"They are. You are a Dreamer, important to the very fabric of the worlds. Only you can create."

"Quit talking in riddles!" I called out, putting my fists against the side of my head. He didn't answer, and when I looked up he was gone.

I woke up in a cold sweat again, the sound of my alarm's ring bouncing around in my head. I quickly shut it off and went down to make breakfast. These dreams were really disturbing. Should I tell Sora about them, or would he just laugh? I shook my head and answered myself with a definite no. I wasn't going to make myself look like an idiot.

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a/n: Well, see you in the next chappie! I'm excited!!!

a/n2: Yup. See you.


	9. 8

Disclaimer: We do not own KH.

a/n: Woot! Back finally with the next chappie!!!

a/n2: Yeah...okay, so there's some abuse that goes on in this chappie, so if you don't like it, skip it.

a/n: Sad...

a/n2: I know. It was hard to write, but it's part of the story, so...

a/n: Okay then, Happy Readings everyone!!! Thanks for the Reviews!!!

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The next few days of school dragged by, even the teachers seemed to notice. Most of them gave us the last half of the period to talk as they sat behind their desks, trying to get rid of headaches, or taking a nap. Thankfully, the weekend, and the trip up to Megumi's Grandparent's shrine/mansion was tomorrow. Sora, Riku and I would meet everyone else in the school parking lot a little past five. Riku would drive Sora and me up in his car, while the others carpooled with other friends.

Sora and I were walking home together when he asked suddenly, "So are you excited to get a votive tablet?"

I remembered my mom always talking about taking me to go write a wish on one. I nodded eagerly, the thoughts of my newfound information surfacing once again. I still hadn't told Sora or Riku about what I found. I couldn't figure out how to do it properly. It still seemed really weird to me. That and there was the weird dream that kept happening more and more frequently that I hadn't mentioned.

I now know that those creatures are called Chasers, I'm supposedly this Dreamer person that could be the key to the fabric of all the worlds, and this person is a Nobodie. It's still as cryptic as before. This guy keeps talking in riddles, and every time I try to ask him new things, all he says now is the line, "Be careful…you can't trust your dreams."

"Ahiro? What's the matter?" Sora asked loudly, snapping me out of my thoughts. We had reached our parting point, so he stood in front of me peering at me questioningly.

I shook my head and said hurriedly, "Nothing, I'm just excited for the festival!"

He smiled, satisfied with my answer and told me he'd meet me back here in twenty minutes so we could head with our overnight stuff back to the school. I ran up to my house, waving goodbye as I went, eager to get everything packed and get out of the house. I hated being in there, now. I waited on my front porch until the twenty minutes had passed, then I waited for Sora. He came ten minutes later, apologizing for being late. I just growled and started walking briskly away.

We got there a little after everyone else. Sora apologized to them for being late, as well. Then, we all got into our cars, and headed out. There were fourteen of us going. Megumi's Grandparent's mansion was in the mountains, a small little village type place a couple miles down from them was also there. That's where the celebration would be.

It took us a little over an hour to get there, following the caravan of cars up through the increasingly windy roads. When we did get out of the car in front of the house, I was glad. Sora, Riku and I walked up to the front gate with the others and gaped at its size. I looked down one direction, then the other, and cried out, "The wall doesn't end!"

"Look harder! All walls have to end!" Sora said equally as astonished.

We glanced around, taking in the sheer magnificence of this mansion nestled amidst the forest. The gate opened and we heard a small old woman say, "Ms. Megumi, please come in. I'll show you and your guests to your rooms."

It was even bigger from the inside. There were hundreds of rooms that branched off from the main deck that wrapped around the house. The branches of pine and straw hanging over every doorway accented the original paper doors and every so often, you'd see a group of people bustling about in a room making the traditional sticky rice cake soup for the dinner later on. It felt like we were walking forever and I couldn't help but think that I would probably get lost.

"This is where the young gentlemen will stay. The ladies will be in the next room. Please, make yourselves at home." The old woman croaked, bowing crookedly. "Dinner will be served soon."

We all bowed back, and then went into our rooms to get ready for dinner. There were about four other guys sharing the room besides me, Riku, and Sora. There were exactly the same amount of girls; Megumi made sure everyone had a partner for the festival.

We all felt a little uncomfortable in such an extravagant house, and we all tried our best not to touch anything. If I could have, I would have levitated above the floor. It was still exciting to be there, though. I had never done any of the festivals like this. I only ever did the Shichi-go-san festival with my mother when I turned 3. As we were changing everyone was sharing stories about what happened last year during the New Year festival, or during the Bon festival. I felt like I'd missed out on a lot, listening to all their stories.

Carefully, I unpacked my mother's kimono and started getting ready, telling her spirit silently that I would make sure to take care of it and have a good time. I hadn't even thought about it being too girly until one of the guys said something.

Takashi called over as he pulled on his own robe, "Ne, Ahiro, couldn't you get one a little more manly?!"

I blushed, and looked down at the white fabric. I suppose it was a little girly. There were blue and maroon flowers dotting the white fabric every so often, and it had a light blue sash to tie around it. I studied it for a moment, then mumbled embarrassed, "I guess…it was my mother's and…I thought she might like it if it was worn again…"

One of them leaned over to whisper in Takashi's ear, probably telling him the fact that my mother was dead by the look on his face. He turned crimson and called over, "Excuse me! I didn't know!"

"No problem." I said back, tying the last knot in my sash.

I don't think he stopped blushing until we had been escorted to the main dining hall for dinner. There, we finally met out hosts. They were a pleasant old couple, they didn't talk much. All they did was introducing them, bow, eat, make small talk, hoped we had a good time at the festival, and then turned in. The old woman who first met us was the only one from the house we actually talked to, besides ourselves. The other family help was either forbidden to talk with us, or were stuck up. Either way, it was all a bit eerie.

The plan for the festival was to walk to the little village, go around the tents set up, watch the fireworks, head back to pray at the family shrine and go back for bed. When the old woman had finished giving us directions to the village, she doled out enough sparklers for fifty of us. Then she waved and shut the gate briskly against our backs.

Megumi walked up to me cheerily and slipped her arm through mine, hugging herself close to me. I looked down and exchanged smiles with her. She looked absolutely beautiful. She had curled her hair, and twisted it into a complicated but still loose bun at the base of her neck; then placed pins and such into it to hold it in place. Her Kimono was stunning too. You could tell her grandparents owned a huge house. It was a soft pink silk with silver butterflies stitched intricately into the fabric. She was glowing.

"You look really cute tonight…" I mumbled, the crunching of the gravel nearly drowning out my words.

She blushed slightly and said softly, "Thank you…you look nice too. Sakura tells me that's your mother's Kimono."

I nodded, the mention of my mother once again resurfacing thoughts. As we walked you could hear the crickets chirping harmoniously in the shadows cast by lanterns lit along the narrow path. It was a sight. The faint glow from the lanterns made everything look like a dream. I caught sight of Sora walking just a little ahead with a girl, laughing at a joke she had just told. I smiled. This was just what I needed after all that mess I learned about back home.

There were so many booths to check out at the village, I didn't even know where to begin. Megumi dragged me off to a jewelry stand, sighing as she gazed at all the trinkets. There was a box I saw her staring at longingly. She didn't say anything about it though, so when she wasn't looking, I quickly bought it with the last of my money from Mrs. Takahoshi. It was my way of saying thank you for being such a good friend.

We spent the rest of the night doing games and such until the fireworks came on. I watched in awe as the spectacular show developed above us, the children racing through the crowds with their sparklers, giggling as they tried to catch each other. And when the time came to count down for the New Year, Megumi took up my hand, gazing at me with pure happiness behind her eyes.

"Three…Two…One!" We all yelled. "Happy New Year!"

I caught sight of Sora standing a few feet away and grinned. He smiled back, waving a freshly lit sparkler in the air. I don't think I would ever forget this. Looking back at Megumi, I quickly handed her the box. She stared speechless at it. I then chuckled and said, "I noticed that you liked it, so I got it for you. Happy New Year, Megumi."

She suddenly wrapped her arms around my shoulders and cried, "Thank you, Ahiro! It's wonderful!"

When we were walking back, we all decided to start lighting the last of our sparklers all at once. So, everyone had about five in each hand going. Then we raced back to the house, giggling and singing. When we got to the front gate, however, we were wiped out. We all trailed after the old woman to our rooms, making plans to visit the shrine in the morning before we left.

I felt like a zombie when I changed, and by the time I had unrolled my sleeping mat, I couldn't think anymore. Even before I put my head on my pillow, I fell asleep. Thankfully, I didn't dream that night.

The next morning we all went to breakfast with tousled hair and headaches from staying up so late. I for one had a huge chunk of hair sticking up in the back, and didn't even bother changing into my contacts yet. Sora's hair was, if even possible, more unruly. The only one that didn't have a bead head was Riku, which didn't surprise me much.

"So, let's all get into something warm after we finish eating, and then head up to the shrine to say our prayers and get our votive tablets!" Megumi called out, clapping her hands together in excitement.

We all grunted our agreements and ate the rest of our meals quickly. I noticed that Sora brought the sweater I gave him for Christmas. I was freezing. The dewy morning air seemed to soak right through my sweater to my bones, chilling me. I shivered as I put in my contacts, thinking bitterly: I hate winter.

We all said our goodbyes to our hosts before we left; thanking them for letting us stay in their magnificent home. They just smiled and waved as we packed the last of our things in the cars and started off up a small trail.

It didn't take us long to get there. Most of the kids went immediately to the votive tablets sitting on a velvet covered table, but some (including me) went to the shrine. The incense burned slowly from a bronze bowl in front of the giant wooden Buddha under an intricately carved roof, relieving me instantly of my tired headache and putting me in a state of calm. I knelt on the cushions, clapped my hands twice, then bowed my head over my hands and began praying.

I hoped that my mother was doing well in heaven with my real father, and I hoped they were happy together. I hoped that Sora, Riku, and I would be friends for the rest of our lives. And I hoped that this next year would be okay, and not so full of drama. I exclusively said to my mother: watch over me, please. I'll probably need you.

When I had finished, I tossed in a few coins as an offering and went over to the table to make a wish. I held the marker poised over the tablet for a long time, not sure what my one wish would be. I'd never made one. That and I was pretty sure I was set with everything in my life.

I glanced over at Sora next to me and saw he had a barrage of wishes on his. Stupid things like:

I hope I get to eat ramen for dinner every night. And, I hope I get a good score on my exam in math. And, I hope that it'll be warm enough to swim by next week.

I rolled my eyes and said loudly, "Sora, you can't have that many! You're only allowed one."

"Seriously?!" He asked concerned, immediately stilling his hand. "Only one?"

I nodded, shaking my head at his foolishness. Even I knew that one. I said, "Yeah, you have to write down a wish that you really want to come true, and when they burn it, hopefully the spirits will grant your wish."

"I see…" he muttered blushing, immediately scribbling out all the wishes, sticking his tongue out in concentration.

Getting back to my own tablet, I started writing down my wish:

I want to always be friends with Sora and Riku.

Tossing it into the fire pit with the rest of the wish tablets, I waited next to the entrance for everyone else to finish up, watching as the morning mist slowly dissipated. I thought proudly, well, mom, we did it. We went to a festival together again, I had fun, and I got to make my wish. I really hope you're proud of me.

It was late when I finally made it home. Everyone decided to eat a late lunch at one of their favorite hang outs, so it was about five when I got home. Something didn't feel right, though. The air felt different. Cautiously, I tiptoed into the living room, calling out, "Who's there?"

"Ahiro…? Is that you?" I heard a gruff voice ask from my father's favorite sitting chair.

My eyes widened in shock as my father actually did stick his head out from behind the high back of the chair to gaze at me questioningly. He wasn't supposed to be back until Tuesday, three days from now! My stomach plummeted as I realized that I had my mother's Kimono clutched in my hands (since it wouldn't fit into my pack). I hurriedly tried to hide it from view, but my father's face contorted with shock and rage, and I knew it was too late. Then he glanced to my face, intending to yell, but stopped short when our eyes met, a look of pure horror flashing across his face.

I read instantly what was running through his mind.

"Those eyes…"

I raised my hands and started, "Father, please…"

But he had already risen unsteadily to his feet, towering over me by a good foot. He swayed slightly, and even before he had come near enough for me to smell his breath, I knew he had been drinking. I backed up slowly, intending to slip away after calming him down. Before I had taken two steps, however, he snarled, "Stay where you are."

He loosened his tie forcefully, stumbling closer. My eyes widened as he came right up and glared down into my petrified face. He grumbled a low throaty noise sounding like a hostile animal, "What the fuck do you think you're doing with that?"

"I was just-" I started, but to my utter surprise found myself cut off by his large fist coming in from the side, silencing me by smashing into the side of my face, sending me to the floor.

I crumpled and gazed in utter shock up at the man now mad with rage as he screamed down at me, "Did I say you could talk?! You're just like her; always running her mouth when she shouldn't have!"

I tried to crawl away, the panic finally settling in. But he lumbered up behind me and snatched at my heels, dragging me back to the living room, yelling, "You're too much like THEM! I knew I should've gotten rid of you too, but I took pity on your worthless hide! Ungrateful…I kept you! And raised you well! Now I find out your grades are slipping, you've quit the student council, and you've fucking disobeyed me AGAIN! I thought I told you not to go through those boxes!"

He tossed my legs out of the way and swung again, landing another blow on the cheek. I was crying and screaming, trying to kick him in the shins, in the groin, anywhere. But this just got him more riled up. His face turned beat red and a vein in his forehead beat steadily as he continued ranting and throwing more punches. I couldn't block every single one. He was still bigger than me.

Without warning, he reached down, pushed my hands away, and took a fistful of my hair. He then proceeded to drag me along the floor toward the stairs. I screamed and kicked and clawed at his hands, but he wouldn't let go. He was crazy, now. He kept yelling the same thing over and over again, "Both of them! The whore and the bastard! You are fucking worthless trash!"

Tears streamed down my face as he started actually dragging me up the stairs. I pushed with my feet on the ground to alleviate some of the pain, but my scalp felt like it was on fire. He was too strong, and he was pulling me too fast for me to get a good grip. When we had made it over the crest of the stairs, he yanked me to my feet, snatched up my wrist, twisting it forcefully behind my back, and shoved me down the hall to my bedroom.

"Please, Father, stop!" I cried, trying to dig my heels into the carpet.

"Shut up bitch! I let that pansy of a man drive you around, and this is how you repay me?! Ungrateful whore!"

He thought I was her? I thought, frantically trying to wrestle from his grip. Was he going to kill me too?

When we had reached the doorway, he spun me around to face him. I tried punching him, but he easily stopped my fist and smashed his own into my cheek, blood immediately erupting from a cut as my skin split.

"Do you want me to kill you? Is that it?"

I shook my head. Suddenly pain flashed across his face and he put a hand to his head, stumbling a little. Then he shook his head and started back down the hall toward his own bedroom. I hurriedly reached up and slammed the door shut, locking it as I slid down it to the floor. My sobbing shook my body forcefully, coming out in cries of pain and shock. My own father…my own father hit me. His fearsome face flashed into my mind again, a new wave of tears erupting from behind my eyelids.

"Shut up! Bitch, I'll come back in there so help me God!" I heard him call from his bedroom.

I gasped and immediately stood up, knowing exactly what I had to do. I had to run. I ran to the window, forced it open, tossed my school pack out, and rushed back to shove all my belongings into a duffel bag. I couldn't find it in me to stop crying, the thoughts of everything that had just happened, still flashing through my mind.

"You asked for it, slut!" I heard my father screech, his thundering footsteps coming back down the hall. My doorknob rattled and I heard him call, "You think this is going to stop me?!"

I screamed when I heard his body slam into the door, the wood creaking. My breaths came faster now as I shakily got the last of my things zipped in the bag. I then ran to the window, hearing him slam once again into my door, the wood splintering. I tossed it out the window, to the ground next to my backpack, starting to put my leg out to the branch of the newly blossoming tree. He crashed again into my door and the hinges started to give.

"If you wanted to be fucked so badly, why did you go to the driver?! I'll give you the best fuck of your life once I get in there you whore!" he hissed, as I frantically clambered out onto the limb.

And just then he managed to blast through the door. He stumbled, looked around, and then caught sight of me quickly clambering down the tree. I saw that he had an erection, a look of sexual frustration mixed with the pure hate for my mother playing across his face. I cried out when he lunged for the window, but I was already halfway down the tree and out of reach.

I jumped the rest of the way, landed haphazardly (feeling my bad ankle twinge with disagreement), and scooped up my bags, making a mad dash for the road. I could hear him calling after me the whole way, but it didn't matter, I was free. I didn't stop running until I felt my feet land on safe ground. Gasping, I rang the doorbell to the only place I knew I wouldn't be harmed.

Sora answered the door, confusion written across his face. I felt such a rush of happiness, my knees buckled and I fell to the ground. When he caught sight of me panting hysterically on the threshold, all my belongings clutched in my arms, he bent down swiftly, placing a hand on my shoulder. He asked incredulously, "What's wrong Ahiro?! What happened?"

I could barely speak, but I managed to bawl, "My father! He…I…I…"

Sora ushered me in without another word, taking my bags and ordering me into the living room. I drug my feet to the couch, and sat down heavily, putting my shaking hands over my face. He came over after a moment, and tried prying my hands away, cooing soft words as he did. But when he caught sight of my face, all the cuts and bruises still fresh with blood, he released me and backed away horrified.

Sora went to his phone then, dialed quickly, and said, "Hi, I need to report child abuse."

My head snapped up and I shook my head exclaiming, "No, Sora! You can't! He'll get out! I know he will, and then you'll-"

The glare he shot me cut me off however, and he continued reporting what happened. After he had hung up, he came to my side, sat down, and pulled my shaking body into his own. I clutched the front of his shirt for dear life, not even letting go when police tried questioning me. I just cowered and cried until they gave up and told Sora they'd come back for a statement in an hour. I don't think I've cried this hard in a long time. The last time I remember my spirit hurting so badly, was when I found out my mom had died.

He knelt so his lips brushed against my ear and whispered, "Ahiro…it'll be alright. What you need to do now is tell the police what happened. You have to tell them if you want to put your father away."

I shook my head, gasping, "I can't…he'll…I…"

"Shhhh…you have to do this for yourself. It's the only way you'll be safe. Please, Ahiro, trust me." He muttered, stroking my hair rhythmically.

I quieted down after a few more minutes of this, finally able to sit up and wipe ashamedly at my eyes. He was smiling down at me, still resting a hand on the side of my head. I closed my eyes, and took in deep breaths, preparing myself for the reliving of what happened earlier.

"Will you stay with me?" I asked in a small voice, getting up shakily.

He nodded, also standing. Taking up my hand he led me over to where the police were, loitering in his cramped kitchen. They all looked up at once when we came in, and I felt the little scrap of confidence I had managed to gather crumble away. Then I felt Sora's hand tighten its hold on mine when he felt me hesitate. I snuck a glance at him and saw he wasn't going to let me procrastinate any longer. Taking another of my deep breaths, I said shakily to the room at large, "I'm ready to give my statement."

Sora stayed by my side the entire time, even when I started talking about my Father's sexual…abusing. I could tell he didn't want to hear some of it, but I was selfish and kept him with me. I didn't think I could handle it without him. When the police had finally left, I was dead tired. Sora led me back into the living room and started applying first-aid to my many cuts.

I winced as he dabbed anti-septic on the scratches, but didn't say anything. I didn't think I would ever be afraid of getting hurt again, now that I knew what it was like. As I leaned further back into the couch as Sora bandaged me up, I felt all my strength leaving me finally, the adrenaline oozing away to leave an aching emptiness. The last thing I saw before I passed out was Sora still working diligently on my wounds.

* * *

a/n: That was pretty intense. I wonder where you're going with this my friend?

a/n2: Yup...I guess we'll see...

a/n: Wahh...I thought you'd give something away. Oh well. See you in the next chappie!!!


	10. 9

Disclaimer: We do not own KH.

a/n: Alrighty! Back again! Why is this chappie so short?

a/n2: Oh, this is the very last bit before the second part got up, so...

a/n: Seriously? Well, okay then. I'm excited to see what kind of imaginative things you have hidden up your sleeve for this story!

a/n2: Haha...thanks...

a/n: *pats head* No problemo, partner!

a/n2: *takes a few steps away feeling uncomfortable* (*but smiles reassuringly*)

a/n: Woo! Alright, Happy Readings friends!!!!

* * *

I had that dream again. This time when I woke up though, it was different. Standing before me was a man wearing a black and silver helmet/mask. I blinked, thinking the dream hadn't shaken itself off, but he continued to gaze over at me, totally expressionless and without a sound. I think getting hit all those times was making me see things. I rubbed my eyes, but instead of him disappearing, he had come closer, still in the same casual posture as before.

"Wh-who are you?" I called out.

"I am the nightmare. The Dark Soldier." He replied in his clear, deep voice.

What kind of crazy dream was this?

He stepped nearer. I cowered beneath the covers that had been laid on me earlier and asked, "What do you want?"

"…I need you to create…" he said.

"Ahiro?"

I looked over to the staircase and saw Sora. He flicked on the lights gazing over at me questioningly. I then turned so I was facing toward the man again, but…he wasn't there. I gaped up at the empty space in front of me for a moment, still not sure what to believe.

"I heard voices…you alright?" Sora asked cautiously. It was only then that I noticed he had his keyblade out.

I just shook my head and muttered, "Yeah…it was only a dream…"

Even though I said that, he still took it upon himself to circle around the house, checking every shadow. I finally called to him, "Sora, you should sleep. School is in a couple hours."

Making one last sweep with his eyes, he started heading back to where I sat on the couch. He gazed at me concernedly and asked, "You alright, then?"

I nodded slowly. I think he still sensed something amiss, but pushed it aside for me and dropped the matter. He sat down next to me and sighed. I had really burdened him. I started apologizing, but he cut me off and said, "Listen, Ahiro, I know you're a strong kid. Just…I don't know…depend on me for this one time."

I choked back the tears that were threatening to burst out again and nodded. He gave me a quick hug and stood up, heading off for bed. I couldn't sleep after that, however. I kept thinking that creepy…thing would come back again. So when the clock over the mantle struck six, I decided that it was useless to try to rest any longer, and went to the bathroom.

I went up to the sink, resting my hands against the white porcelain as I gazed into the mirror at my now pulp-like face. I prodded a few swollen spots, but it didn't hurt as much as I thought it might. So I turned on the faucet and started dabbing gingerly at the blood that had dried, trying to clean myself off. Sora did a good job with the bandages.

When I was thru cleaning off, I made my way into the kitchen to get some food. I then started thinking, how was I ever going to repay Sora? I chewed on a small bowl of cereal while I waited for Sora to get up, trying to ignore the agonizing aching feeling in my jaw as I did.

"Morning." Sora said, clearly not expecting to see me awake. "Did you get to sleep after…?"

I shook my head, not meeting his disapproving gaze. And after he sat down and started in on his own bowl of cereal, I plucked up the nerve to ask him, "Sora…can I stay with you? Just for a little while?"

"I thought that was a given." He chuckled.

I blushed and said, "Thank you…"

We ate in silence for another couple minutes, me pushing my spoon through the leftover milk in thought. I then cleared my throat and muttered, "I want to repay you, somehow-"

"I can't let you do that."

"Why not? What you've done for me already is-"

"You're my best friend, Ahiro. I can't ask anything of you. Just get me to pass my final exam and I'll be happy."

Then I got an idea. I jumped up from the counter, and ran to my bag, snatching up two pieces of paper. I then went back and shoved the two movie tickets Kairi had given me into his unsuspecting hands. I cried out, "At least take these and clear my conscience a little!"

He knew I wouldn't let up if he didn't, so he nodded and put them in his pocket. Then he gazed fiercely back into my eyes and said, "Only if you'll go with me."

I stopped dead. What? Sora continued offhandedly, "Riku doesn't like going to the movies that much and I don't want to go alone. So…how 'bout it?"

I nodded deftly, moving back into the living room. What was going on? I placed a hand over my heart and felt it beating wildly against my chest. Why was that simple question affecting me so much? I heard him clattering around in the kitchen and felt my heart quicken once again.

Shaking my head I thought, this wasn't the time to be getting weird thoughts into your head. Just ignore it. More than likely it was nothing. He is your best friend after all. Just go to school, forget about it, and move on.

"Ready?" Sora asked from by the door.

I snapped my head up and shook the last lingering thoughts from my mind, following him out the door. At school, everyone kept whispering and asking each other about what happened to me. They pointed and wondered at my cuts and bruises, already making assumptions. Maybe it had been a bad idea to come.

The rumors and questions didn't stop for a long time, even after the cuts healed and the bruises faded. I would occasionally hear the mutterings of it as I passed by groups in the hall with Riku and Sora. It didn't bother me as much anymore. It was nice not having to worry about what my father might think or do. I was free.

My house was going to be sold, and Sora was still letting me stay at his place. The last time I stepped foot in my house, was just a few days after the 'incident' to get a few more of my things. As soon as I walked into the living room, I felt my palms start to sweat. There on the floor, was my mother's Kimono, in rags. The police told me when they dragged him out of the house that he had been ripping it apart and screaming at the top of his lungs.

I felt sorry for him. I truly did.

I gazed down at the pile of fabric and whispered, "I'm sorry mom…"

Every night I'd cook for Sora and me, occasionally Riku too, and I would make sure to keep the house tidy and do chores; as payment for letting me stay. And I still thank him, even though it's been about a month. I know it's probably annoying, but I'm thanking him for more than one thing at once.

I've been in a shell my whole life; whether or not it was my Father or me that put it there is debatable. All I know is that before this year, I had no idea who I was. And then I met him. He made the first splinter in my thick shield, and throughout the whole year the cracks kept spreading, until I had completely broken free. I now know who I am, and what exactly I want, thanks to Sora.a/n: I like the parallelism with the begining of this story and the end about being in a shell.

* * *

a/n2: I'm surprised you remembered!

a/n: How rude! Of course I did!

a/n2: ...

a/n: Anyway, see you in the next Part and hope to hear from you on what you think so far!


	11. Summary II

Disclaimer: We do not own KH.

a/n: I'm so glad we didn't have any gay haters review on this story!!!

a/n2: Me too.

a/n: Alright, well me and my friend would like to now introduce the summary for part two, so...

a/n2: ...here you go.

* * *

Overview of Part I:

Takes place after Kingdom Hearts 2 when the gang finally gets back to Destiny Islands. We are introduced to Ahiro, the shy, awkward, student council member that tutors Sora and Riku. This whole first part of the story is about getting to know Ahiro so if you want to wait until all the action starts happening in the second part, it'll be a while. I personally hate it when stories don't have a good base plot, and not that I'm saying this one is any good either. Just sayin' is all. Anyway, shortly after Ahiro befriends Sora and Riku, he starts having these weird dreams. What's all this about Chasers and Xehonart and Keyblade Wars? That's where Ahiro's significant role comes into play!

Part II Summary:

Alright, so this part takes place when the school year ends and all that stuff about Ahiro's father is over with. We now know Ahiro to be a boy who has finally grown into himself. He now knows how to stand on his two feet, but there will be obstacles ahead to test that. Will he be able to stand his ground when the world around him seems to crumble? What'll happen when Chasers come to Destiny Islands and turn his world upside down? What'll happen between the three Best Friends?

Find out in Dive into the Heart.

I might be giving out some Birth By Sleep Spoilers, possibly, so you've been **warned**.

And there might be some shmex in here too, but I'll see. For now, this part'll be rated T for some swearing and violence.

Happy Readings!


	12. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: We do not own KH.

a/n: Oh my Goodness! I can't believe the moment has finally come!

a/n2: Please don't get too carried away...

a/n: *ignores* THE SECOND PART TO DIVE INTO THE HEART!!!!!! *ultima-fangirl-squeal*

a/n2: *cringes*

a/n: Deep breath, okay. Sorry. I had to get that out.

a/n2: 'S okay. I understand

a/n: And that's why you're my friend!!! *glomps*

a/n2: *pushes gently away*

a/n: Muh. Anyways, here is the first chappie to Part 2!!!! Happy Readings Friends!!!!

* * *

Ahiro's POV:

What can you do…?  
When the end has fainted?

Distant Hearts, when rejoined as one…  
May find the light within…

It's nearly time…

The temperature was finally back to normal again, which meant final exams and an end to this hell-ish year. I don't think I've ever felt this tired before in my life. The weeks leading up to final exams were hectic; I mean, studying myself, and teaching Sora and Riku was a lot of work. However, when the testing was over with and we got our scores back, it was worth it. I was 2nd in scores for our class, and Sora and Riku both passed with flying colors!

"Yes! I knew you'd get me through Ahiro!" he cried, glomping me. He jumped up and down, still praising me with all the other kids around me celebrating too.

I choked out, "I told you I would, didn't I? A promise is a promise."

Suddenly he released me and backed away, holding a hand over his face and muttering, "Yeah…"

He'd been doing that a lot lately. I still didn't get what was going on with him, because I asked Riku if I smelled or something. He shook his head mutely and stared after Sora, who was scurrying away after uttering the excuse of 'bathroom'.

Whatever, I guess I'd figure out what was up sooner or later.

I just finished cleaning the study hall where my two best friends and I had spent so much time in, where we had first met. I smiled as I gazed at the table where Sora had tried to show how high he could jump, and ended up catching his shoe, crashing to the ground. Laughing, I turned to the bookshelves where Riku always leaned against, reading whatever had caught his eye that day.

I guess parts of the year weren't that bad.

Riku told me before he drove away with Sora in the passenger seat, that there was going to be a party on the kid island that evening. I told him I'd be back at Sora's house after I was done tying up some loose ends. He grinned and took off, Sora waving through the back window.

To tell the truth, I was a little worried about it. My dreams had gotten more urgent as of late, and the hooded guy kept telling me that the time was drawing nearer, and that I should be prepared. I feel like I'm going crazy with so much worry. I don't want anything to happen to my friends, they mean the world to me. And despite my knowing those were just dreams, I could swear I kept seeing flashes of that creepy guy out of the corner of my eye. It was like someone was watching me wherever I went.

I could tell that Sora and Riku were worried about me when I'd get all jumpy. I kept telling them it was all the stress from my father, and then school. I don't think they believe me, though.

As I walked out the front entrance of the school, I had to raise a hand to shield my eyes from the sun. It was back to being normal in Destiny Islands again, same tropical weather that I love. Walking back to Sora's house was nice. Letting my skin glow with warmth, and watching the happy people pass by me was refreshing after all the hard work I'd done. It finally sunk in, that I had just gone through my first year of high school, and I'd soon be going to the next. Smiling, I put my hands in the pockets of my school pants and pressed on, not wanting to be late.

When I got to Sora's house, I changed into more comfortable clothing: a pair of black shorts, and a dark purple short sleeve shirt with an intricate yellow design on the front. Then I grabbed my sneakers as I went out the back door to the beach. They told me they were all gathering at the dock a few yards away before heading over, so I took my time, relishing in the tingling sensation the warm sand created as it ran over my toes and scrunched on the pads of my feet.

I gazed out at the play island across the water, sitting clearly in the water not too far from shore. It would be the first time since my mother died that I'd go over there. I was excited. My toes sunk deeper in the sand as I stopped and closed my eyes, smelling the salt air and listening to the waves rush up onto the sand.

"Come on, Ahiro! We're waiting!" I heard Megumi call, laughter lacing her words as I looked over.

I grinned and sprinted off toward the group gathered around the dock. Most of the kids from class were all clambering for a canoe at the moment, Sora included. I laughed and watched as he did a staring contest with the president for the last one. While the other kids egged them on, Megumi came up next to me and said sweetly, her honey golden hair falling into her eyes as she came to a stop, "I'm so glad its summer break!"

I smiled and said, "Yeah, I was ready for a break-"

"I-wanted-to-tell-you-congratulations-on-doing-really-good-on-your-scores!" she blurted out, blushing furiously.

She was really cute. Leaning forward, I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and hugged her close, uttering a small thank you. When I drew away, she gazed at me dazedly saying, "No problem…"

Just then, we heard loud cheering, and turned to see Sora smiling triumphantly, both him and the president rubbing their eyes furiously. We all clambered into the boats soon after, taking up our paddles. Sora and Riku waved for me to join them in Sora's victory canoe, and I sprinted over and plopped in next to them. Sora was so excited for the party, just like a little kid. I could feel his anticipation pouring from him as we pushed away and started paddling out.

"Sora, we're going in the wrong direction 'cause you're paddling too hard!" Riku growled, clearly not liking the amount of effort he had to put in so he could match Sora's fervor.

I laughed as Sora scratched the back of his head embarrassedly and mumbled and apology, but I cut myself off when I saw a flash of that man in the mask again standing a few feet away on the now empty dock. I choked slightly and tried to turn my head and catch a full glimpse of him to prove to myself finally, that I wasn't crazy. But he had disappeared…again.

"You alright?" Sora asked casually over his shoulder as he splashed Riku with water.

I shook my head and muttered back, "Yeah…"

What was I going to do if my dreams were actually true and people got hurt? Maybe telling Riku and Sora about it would be a good idea. I hope they wouldn't think I was an idiot, I mean, they never mentioned these Chasers before. What if I really was going crazy? Maybe I'd just tell Sora, he'd at least be nice enough to try and get me some help after.

It was a few minutes after my inner conversation that we made it to the beach. I felt lost as I looked up into the trees at the top of the little island, trying to piece together faint memories from my childhood.

"It's been a while for you, huh?" Sora said smiling up from his spot by the tethering post.

I nodded, "I'm glad, though. This is going to be a good memory to replace the one with my mother."

"We're going to go swimming first! Let's go guys!" we heard Takuto cry out as he sprung into the waves from just down the beach.

"Hey Riku, Ahiro, RACE YOU!" Sora yelled, taking off.

"You cheater…!" I called after him, Riku already on his tail.

I tried forgetting about telling Sora, but it kept popping up in my mind when I had the time to stop and take a breather from all the fun. The sun was setting now, and I knew from the feeling in the pit of my stomach that it was time. All the kids were either sitting down in their normal groups of friends, or walking along the beach. I saw Sora talking with Megumi and the other girls, trying to scare them with a story about a one legged pirate king in preparation for the real story telling tonight. I didn't want to interrupt, but my conscience kept urging me to get it over with, that it couldn't wait any longer.

"Sora, can we talk?" I asked in a small voice.

He glanced up at me curiously, and then caught sight of the worry in my eyes that I was trying so hard to hide. The girls started whispering amongst themselves as we walked away, our names clear on their lips. I shivered as I tried to work up the nerve to say something, all the while getting further and further down the beach away from everyone.

I finally stopped and turned to look up into his deep, searching eyes. My mouth opened, but it had somehow gone dry. I cleared it and tried again, this time not looking at him but at a spot just by my bare feet.

"I have to tell you something…"

"I got that far." Sora laughed. "If you're going to try giving me money for rent again you've got another thing coming! You need to-"

"No! Sora, this is way more important than that." I burst out suddenly.

I took a breath to steady myself and pierced his gaze with my own, "It's been happening for a while now…and I don't know what to think of it. Please promise you won't laugh when I tell you?"

His eyes had gone wide as he took in my outburst, but after a moment of staring into my eyes, he nodded and I continued, "Well, I've been having these weird dreams lately. There's always some cloaked guy telling me all these weird things about Chasers and my Destiny. Lately some other guy has started…showing up. And not just in the dreams, but in real life…or at least I think he is. I really don't know if any of it is real. Does that make any sense?"

He was silent for a few seconds, just gaping down at me. Then he shook his head and asked sharply, "Why didn't you say anything before?"

I thought for a moment, and then mentally kicked myself. Why hadn't I? I mean, Sora and Riku have been around more weird things than should be possible. Why wouldn't he believe me?

"How long has this been going on for?" he asked, taking a concerned step toward me.

"I-I don't know! I was scared! I thought I was going crazy!" I cried out defeated. "It all started a couple months ago."

"Ahiro, you have to tell me exactly what you've been told; in your dreams or out. This is probably what the King was talking about in his letter." Sora said firmly, taking a hold of my shoulders with both hands.

I had no idea what letter he was talking about, but I quickly sat him down on the sand and started telling him the story of my dreams. And I told him every single detail that I could possibly scrape up. Everything from what these guys were wearing, to their instructions, to their cryptic riddles. If he had had a pen and paper he would have diagramed it, that's how hard he was trying to remember it all. Finally, we lay down on the sand and sighed. He looked over at me and asked, "Did you tell Riku any of this yet?"

"No…" I mumbled, rubbing my temples softly. "I couldn't. You're my best friend, so I had to tell you first…"

He didn't answer me straight away; instead, we sat in silence listening to the waves crashing against the shore as our classmates talked and laughed loudly in the distance. Then I felt something warm cover my hand and my eyes snapped open to see Sora's hand covering my own. He was gazing down at me, a determined look in his eyes and said, "Don't worry. No matter what, I'll always protect you. Whatever's going to happen, I'll do my best to keep you safe."

I gaped up at him, feeling my face temperature rise to the most uncomfortable level it's ever been at. He let out a short laugh and said, "Not like it'll come to that or anything, but just in case!"

I raised an eyebrow and turned my attention back to the sun setting below the still water. It wasn't very spectacular this evening, but that might be because we only started looking at it near its finale, soft pinks melting into oranges, the clear blue coming up over our heads, taking over the sky. Night was closing in fast.

"Let's go back and tell those ghost stories!" I suddenly said, getting to my feet.

Sora grinned up at me and took the hand I offered, trailing after me as I called over my shoulder, "Race you back!"

I didn't want to worry him. Besides, we were supposed to be having fun. That sounds really stupid, but I didn't want to ruin an evening that everyone was working so hard on to be wonderful, and that I was supposed to be making memories at.

As the moon rose higher, so did my anticipation for the worst. It was full tonight, its silver rays lighting up the beach in a white strand contrasting with the dark ocean to make it look black. We almost didn't need the campfire. It was already warm enough out, and we could see quite clearly, but Sora insisted that we have one to tell scary stories by; tradition. I rolled my eyes, but enjoyed the tales none the less. Megumi made it a point to sit next to me so she could hold my arm when the creepy parts came up.

It's odd, Sora doesn't mind telling scary stories, but once he's listening, he's just a big chicken. I laughed to myself when I felt his hand search out mine again when Yoh started in on a story of his own. What a weird guy, I thought feeling his grip tighten as Yoh started in on the description of the long haired woman that haunts the woods just on the other side of the island.

After that, most of the kids decided to go and search for the alleged woman, and to see if there really was a ghost pirate cave like Sora said, but I decided to try and sleep. I was completely drained from having school that day. Sora and Riku decided to stay with me, and after much protesting, the others left. When they had disappeared from sight, Sora turned and started explaining to Riku what I had told him earlier, which I clearly couldn't sleep through. I had thought we had gotten past that.

"It does seem odd…" Riku muttered to himself once all was laid on the table.

"More than a coincidence, don't you think?" Sora asked eagerly, sneaking a glance at me.

Riku nodded, still thinking. Then he asked solemnly, "Do you think they'll try to take him?"

"That's what I thought." Sora mumbled. "But why give him the heads up?"

"Maybe they're challenging us."

They both shot a look at me, which made me squirm slightly. I asked flustered, "What would they need me for?!"

"Don't know…" Riku said, still watching me closely. "But considering these guys don't seem to be running in the good crowd, I would assume they don't want to just chat."

None of this had sunk in yet, I don't think. It all seemed too far-fetched to actually have even the slightest possibility of being possible. So I told them sleepily, "If that's the case, then I'll start talking about economy rates, and maybe they'll just toss me back."

They didn't laugh, but I paid no attention, and instead lay down and turned on my side so I couldn't see them staring at me. I could still feel their eyes boring holes into my back, but I blocked it out and told myself to sleep which soon came to claim me.

In my dream, I was chained to the ground by a swirling black mass. I couldn't recognize where I was, definitely not anywhere in Destiny Islands. It felt like someone was watching me again, and when I blinked there was the cloaked figure standing before me. I wasn't afraid of him, so I called over, "Why am I chained up?"

"That's for you to decide."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"You can't trust your dreams."

"Shut up! What's going on?"

"The darkness is spreading inside them…"

"Who?!"

"Save them…only you can create."

"Damn it let me go!" I screamed, shutting my eyes with concentration as I tugged at the bonds holding me.

There was a rush of wind, and suddenly, the swirling black that was keeping me prisoner had loosened and finally gone. But so was the cloaked man. I looked around wildly, my senses on overload. His voice echoed back to me, "To start is to end; this is how the story unfolds…birth by sleep."

What the hell did he mean? Where was I? When I took another step, the dark floor burst up from underneath me to reveal a glowing mural. Doves took scattered flight all around me, heading for an unknown spot in the pitch black. I gazed in wonder as they disappeared one by one. Now illuminating my steps, was a giant stain glass mural, perfectly smooth with a depiction of a man with dark hair sitting calmly, smaller pictures of a blue haired girl and a familiar looking blonde haired boy beside him.

There was another rush of wind and I was standing face to face with a Chaser. I flinched and cowered as it drew nearer, walking on all fours its blank face starring up at me. The cloaked figure's voice rang out from the darkness and told me to use my magic. How, exactly, was I supposed to know how to do that? I tried anyway, shutting my eyes and letting my hands do whatever. There was a tinkling sound, and when I looked up, I saw that I had frozen the creature to the ground.

It suddenly burst into a thousand pieces and disappeared. I heard the voice again, "There's nothing else I can teach you. The rest is for you to discover. Please…save him."

"Who?!" I cried out imploringly up into the black sky.

Wake up…  
It's nearly time…  
Don't be frightened.  
Only the Dreamer can create.

My eyes flew open and I sat bolt upright, the sound of those words still ringing in my ears. I looked around and saw that Riku and Sora were still awake, and were now gazing over at me questioningly.

"Guys, it's going to happen now! We have to-"I started, standing up and looking around for the others.

It was too late. A dark figure standing on the bridge just down the beach was silhouetted against the silver moon, a horde of his Chasers close behind. Sora and Riku caught sight of him too and immediately got in front of me, their keyblades drawn. Sora called over, "Who the hell are you?! What do you want?!"

The man snapped his fingers, sending the Chasers after us and said in his deep foreboding voice, "I want the boy. He is the key to Kingdom Hearts."

My heart thudded in my chest. That thing Sora told me about, Kingdom Hearts? There wasn't enough time to dwell on that, though. Sora turned to look at me and said distressed, "Run, Ahiro, we'll be right behind you!"

I was frozen with fear as I watched Riku dash forward, slashing at the creatures that scuttled and dodged, disappearing into their masses. Sora threw a look back at me and cried out, "He'll be fine! Just go!"

I managed to pick up my feet and whirl around to sprint as fast as I could away from those things. I heard Sora behind me, instructing me to not stop for anything and get to the boats. I couldn't breathe, though. All of this was happening too fast! I was a normal kid for crying out loud, these kinds of things weren't supposed to happen to me! My feet turned to lead and started dragging, as I tried to desperately get across the beach to the dock. I soon felt Sora's hand grasp my elbow and drag me along beside him, forcing me to push harder.

I stole a glance over my shoulder and saw the Chasers catching up, with Riku nowhere in sight. I cried out and Sora saw too. He released my arm and ordered me to keep going. Gasping, I tried to, but then I heard Sora's cries of battle as he slowed them down for me. That's when it hit. This really was happening, and both my friends were putting themselves in danger to protect me! I shouldn't have put them in this kind of situation. I need to help them!

I made up my mind, spinning on my heel, I dashed back to Sora who had just gotten knocked down. One of the Chasers was bearing down on him and he was too dazed to shield himself. I slid in next to him and grabbed his hand just in time to raise the keyblade and block a blow from the creature.

"Ahiro?! Why did you come back?! You shouldn't have-"

I yanked on his arm and said breathlessly, "Shut up! There's no time, just run!"

There were hundreds springing up from the darkness, now, on either side of us way too many for him to take on alone. Sprinting down the sand onto the dock once again, I could hear their snarls coming from right behind. I quickened my weak step, seeing the tethering post just a few feet away.

"No…" I gasped as we came to a sudden halt. The boats were all gone.

I dug my nails into Sora's arm as the growls from the creatures closed in from all around us and he pushed me behind him protectively. Sora still had his keyblade out, but both of us knew it was pointless. Were we going to die here? It couldn't be…I've only just started with my new life.

"Sora…I have to tell you something." I said sternly, turning to face him.

"What? Can't it wait?"

"No. I just wanted to tell you that I owe you everything. Before this year, I didn't know who I was, and now thanks to you, I know for sure."

We gazed into each other's eyes, both understanding what was being said.

"How touching…" that masked person's voice called softly.

We jumped slightly and saw him perched on a tree top. Sora jumped in front of me again and called, "What are you going to do with Ahiro?"

The man chuckled and sprung down to land feet from us and said, "If you just give me the boy quietly, I'll let you and your other friends live."

Sora was about to shout back, but I knew what I had to do, and placed a shaking hand on his shoulder whispering, "I'll go…"

"Ahiro, no…!" Sora breathed, trying to take a hold of my hand as I walked by.

I just smiled and mumbled, "It's okay…it'll save Riku, and then both of you can come find me. I know you'll save me. I believe in you…and your promise."

Sora just stood gazing at me dumbstruck as I walked nearer the masked man. I could sense him smirking behind the mask. I called over to him, "You can't harm them if I come with you."

"Yes…" he said smugly, waving his hand over his shoulder. "…at least for now."

A dark swirling portal erupted up behind him, and he beckoned me toward it. I took a few tentative steps forward, feeling the pull of its dark energy. I hesitated and stole a glance over at Sora who stood rigid with anger. His eyes pleaded with me to come back, but he wouldn't chance voicing it.

The man must have signaled to one of his minions, because I saw a flash of black to my right, and when I looked up I saw a Chaser swoop down on me before everything went black.

* * *

a/n: Ohhohohohohoho!!!!! *twirls theatrically in triumph* Brilliant!

a/n2: *gives a short bow*

a/n: Well, that's the first chappie for ya!! How intense was that, eh?! Anyways, see you all in the next! And don't forget to vote on wheter or not you want shmex in this or not. ;3

a/n2: See you next time.


	13. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: We do not own KH.

a/n: Well, here we are back again!! Second chappie to part two!!!

a/n2: Yup. The adventuring begins.

a/n: YEAH!!!

a/n2: *notices that a/n isn't coming out of weird phase* Oh...well, Happy Readings.

* * *

Sora's POV:

As soon as I saw that creature bearing down on him, I had to charge forward. My path was blocked by more of them, so I only caught sight of the Chaser lifting Ahiro up in its disproportionately long, skeletal arms and carry him over to the portal, the man following. Damn, I had gotten weak. I tried slashing my way through, but I barely made a dent, finally all I could do was call out to my best friend as the Chasers held me back. He lay limp in the thing's arms, but I still called after him, in the hopes that he would wake up and struggle.

But he didn't. And then they were gone. The island was once again eerily peaceful and empty. Angrily, I threw my keyblade to the ground with a loud metal on wood clunk, and dropped to my knees. I promised I'd protect him! I couldn't even do that.

"Sora…we've got to try and find him." I heard Riku say above me, his hand pressing lightly against my shoulder.

I shook my head furiously, ridding myself of my momentary weakness, "You're right. Let's try and get a hold of the King. He'll probably know what's going on."

He nodded, clutching at a wound on his shoulder, and helping me back to my feet. We found the boats floating just offshore, and soon we were paddling as fast as we could around the island in the search of any kind of message. When we got back to the beach and tried a land search, we finally found one. It was leaning precariously against the crooked palm tree on the little island across the bridge. It read:

Go to Radiant Garden. I will meet you there.

King Mickey.

And almost like it was waiting for that exact moment to appear, the Gummi Ship hovered just above the water. I grinned. The sun was just rising, its rays already lighting up the morning sky. A breeze had picked up too, brushing my hair back as I placed my foot on the first rung of the ladder going into the hull of the ship. I thought determinedly as I gazed at the intensely white sun peeking up over the horizon, don't worry Ahiro, I'll keep my promise. We're coming.

"The place looks great guys!" I exclaimed happily, gesturing at the newly restored buildings and flourishing plant life.

"Thanks! It's taking a while, but we're getting there!" Yuffie said, puffing her chest out proudly.

I felt Riku nudge me slightly, so I asked, "I know this'll sound really sudden and all, but has anything weird happened lately?"

"Weird?" they all asked simultaneously, exchanging looks with each other.

"Sorry, Sora, we haven't noticed anything." Leon said.

My heart stopped for a moment as Riku described who we were searching for. I felt sick. Why would the King send us here if there weren't any leads? I sulked until we said our farewells. We were heading off to a newly uncovered canyon that had previously been home to thousands of heartless.

"Sora…you've got to snap out of it." Riku mumbled, not meeting my gaze as we walked slowly along. "If we're going to find Ahiro, we have to focus."

"How can you say that, he's our best friend, Riku? Aren't you worried at all?!" I exclaimed, glaring at a rock in the distance.

He didn't answer me. I wasn't sure I liked how I was acting about this either, but apologizing wasn't really in my mind to do. Luckily, a new obstacle sprang up before it could get awkward. A man wearing a suit of weird armor appeared in front of us suddenly. We both unsheathed our keyblades, and readied for a battle, but he continued kneeling before us.

Finally he called over, "I am no threat…"

"Who are you?" I asked loudly, still not slackening my grip.

"I am Terra, a keyblade warrior. I am searching for the Dreamer, and a man named The Dark Soldier." The man said, standing to his full height.

I was confused, but he took a few steps toward us, removing his helmet slowly as he went.

He was young, with a dark head of thick hair (still not as dark as Ahiro's though) that stuck up in the front. As he stopped a few feet in front of us, I took in just how huge he was. He was a little taller than Riku, with double the muscle. I had to say I was a little jealous. But I was still suspicious and remained on edge as I exchanged glances with Riku. I knew he was thinking the same thing as me: He's looking for Ahiro too. I called over the tip of my keyblade, "Why are you looking for them?"

The man held our gazes and said evenly, "The Dreamer is the key to fighting off evil. I must stop the Dark Soldier before he-"

"Looks like you failed to do your part, friend." I said sarcastically, cutting him off. "That guy's already captured him."

Terra's eyes grew wide as he processed this new information. He asked disbelievingly, "Are you sure?"

I gaped at him and said astonished, "Why would I joke about something like that?! I mean-"

"This…Dreamer you're looking for is our friend. We're looking for him too. The Dark Soldier came to our island and kidnapped him." Riku said cutting me off abruptly. "What exactly is going on? I think we deserve some answers."

Terra brought a hand up to rub at his temples, sighing heavily. Finally he mumbled, "Alright…I'll tell you. My friends and I are looking for a man named Xehanort and his companion, Dark Soldier. We had some…complications. I just want to save my friends, and the worlds. Your King told me that I should meet you two here…that you'd help."

"What does Ahiro have to do with this?" I asked.

"Your friend…he's the Ultimate Dreamer. He is the only one who has the power to create. And if he falls into the wrong hands and is pulled too deeply into the darkness…the fate of the worlds will be sealed."

"Why do you need him?"

"If I can get to him, then he will be able to help save us all and find the Princess of Heart."

"Who's this Princess of Heart?"

"She holds the key to all hearts…most importantly, the key to Kingdom Hearts. If we can find her and reunite her with it, the worlds will be safe once again. She disappeared about twenty years ago, and that's how the Keyblade wars started. In my time, everything is in chaos without her."

"In your time…?" Riku asked softly.

Terra ignored him and continued, "Your King sent me here to find the one called Sora, the true keybearer. He told me he would be able to help me and my friends save the worlds."

I blushed and called over, "Yeah, here I am! When do we get started? We've got to find my friend!"

The man gave me a weak smile and muttered, "You remind me of Ven…"

I raised an eyebrow, but was stopped from asking further questions by the sudden rush of wind from behind us. We all turned simultaneously as the King came out of a vortex and said, "Hiya, fellas!"

Riku and I both grinned, then I asked, "What exactly is going on, sir?!"

"We are fulfilling your destinies, finally. This is the last step to saving the worlds!" He said in his high-pitched voice, coming to stand next to us. "There's no time to explain anymore. We have to get going!"

The King studied the worry in our eyes for a moment and asked, "Ready…?!"

"Wait a minute, ready for what?!" I asked confusedly.

He then materialized a bright blue keyblade decorated with stars and a moon, pointing at each of us in turn. I started feeling a tingling sensation in the pit of my stomach, and before I knew it, white light was obscuring my vision and I felt like I was flying at a hundred miles per hour.

Ahiro's POV:

"Mnn…" I groaned, feeling my head pound dully. "What the…?"

I opened my eyes a crack and studied my surroundings. It was blurry, so I couldn't quite make everything out. I noticed that it was small, and didn't have much in it. I tried sitting up, but my head throbbed again and I felt a sharp tugging come from my ankle. I reached down and felt the cold metal anklet chained to me and the leg of the bed.

My heart sank. This was really happening. I rubbed my eyes as tears threatened to pour down and told myself to pull it together. Sora would find me…he promised. What he had said ran through my mind once again:

Don't worry. No matter what, I'll always protect you. Whatever's going to happen, I'll do my best to keep you safe.

"Hurry, Sora…" I whispered, drawing my knees up to my chest.

It was a few hours later before anything happened. The grey door creaked loudly as it swung in on its hinges, revealing a swirling black vortex. I cringed, but forced myself to sit up tall on the edge of the bed and face whatever was coming. The masked man came striding in followed by a group of Chasers. I felt my body shaking as he stared me down.

"Wh-what are you going to do with m-me?" I asked, cursing myself for stuttering.

"I need you to create for me. That is your destiny after all…Dreamer." He said in his deep voice.

I blinked furiously, trying to get a clearer vision of him through blurry eyes. My contacts had fallen out, and I didn't have my glasses, so I was practically blind. He chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest and said, "While you're here…you do what I say."

Soon, my vision had become completely obstructed by tears. I sat dumbfounded, staring blankly over at the man leaning against the opposite wall. I finally asked defeated, "What exactly is it you want me to do…?"

"In order to secure my kingdoms, I need you to create the force behind my power. You need to dream up the creatures that will slow down my enemies so I can find the Princess of Heart."

This guy's nuts! I thought dismally, keeping a close eye on the swaying Chasers on either side of me. I asked, "Where am I?"

"In a chamber in a castle. Soon, you will move up to the tower. I just need to coerce this woman Maleficent into doing what I say. She is an essential pawn, very power hungry, which makes her an ideal candidate to be taken advantage of. My late master told me all about her." he explained. "She'll put that ridiculous curse on that girl, and her fairies will undoubtedly place the entire kingdom in a sleep to save their own skins. Then, when the keyblade warriors finally make it here, it'll be too late. I will be unstoppable."

He pushed himself off the wall and strode over to me, catching my chin and tilting my face up so he could look into my eyes. I stared up at him blankly, and muttered, "Before that, I'll need you to dream up some creatures to buy me some time."

"Never!" I cried suddenly, trying to slap his hand away. I wouldn't let him hurt my friends.

I remembered what the cloaked guy had taught me about using magic, so I concentrated all my energy and hate at summoning a spell. He was too quick for me, though. Before I knew it, he had snatched my hand out of the air and dug his fingers into my jaw until I whimpered.

He barked out a laugh and released me, throwing me back onto the bed. I rubbed at where his hand had been and glared, tears still coursing down my cheeks. He said over his shoulder, "Weakling. You'll have no choice once you sleep. You'll be vulnerable to my powers, and I will make you do what I ask."

I gulped, feeling my wave of confidence ebb. I hugged my knees to my chest as he snapped at his Chasers to follow. They did, cart-wheeling and scuttling after him like twisted circus freaks. Once again I was left alone to my own thoughts. Miserably I said in my head, I'm sorry I can't be stronger Sora…please be alright.

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a/n: Oh my!!! Great start I think!! Ahiro's sooooooo CUTE!!!!

a/n2: Indeed.

a/n: Anyways, see you in the next chappie, don't forget to review!!!


	14. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: We do not own KH.

a/n: Alrighty!!! Here we are again!!! Well, actually it's just me this chappie because my friend has been sick with the stomach flu. EEEEWWWW. Too bad. I think she's just sad that no one is reviewing. Or...that could just be me. Anyways, here's the next chappie!! Hope you enjoy it!!! Happy Readings.

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Sora's POV:

When my feet finally slammed on solid ground again, I swayed drunkenly for a moment, waiting for the dizzying flight to leave me. Tentatively I opened my eyes and peered out at the land in front of me. They widened when I realized that we were in the same place as before, but something seemed a little off.

I asked unsurely, glancing at the others around me, "What's this all about?"

Terra stepped up next to me and muttered, "You're in the past, now; in my time."

My eyes bugged out as I processed this information. It made sense. There was definitely more green here, and some things were intact where they shouldn't be, or missing where they should be. I turned to the King and asked wildly, "Is that true?!"

He nodded solemnly and said, "Ahiro was taken here by the Dark Soldier. He's planning on using his powers to create more Chasers, ones that will be stronger than the normal ones; Bosses."

"Where did they come from, exactly?" Riku asked.

The King motioned for us to follow him, so when he started walking in the direction of the bustling town in front of us, we trailed after him, listening intently as he called over his shoulder:

"They were created by Xehanort. He was researching the Heartless, and found out about the Princess of Heart. He wanted to use the Heartless to find her and get control of the worlds, but they almost stole her heart away. He only barely managed to save her from them. She then escaped. She's been gone for nearly twenty years, now. So, in order to find her, he created Chasers. They're a branch of Heartless that don't have the hunger for hearts. The Dark Soldier is Xehanort's latest creation. He calls himself Nightmare. It's rumored that Master Xehanort infused some of himself into Nightmare in order to make him seem more human and help him control the creatures."

We stood in silence for a moment, taking in this new information. I was about to ask more questions, but I was cut off by a thunderous roar from a cliff ahead of us. A giant creature came crashing down in front of us. It had two heads, hundreds of writhing tendrils coming out of its back, with its back legs shorter than its front so it sat hunched in front of us, swaying with the anticipation of battle.

"Is that one of Ahiro's Dreams; a Chaser boss?!" I asked, backing away slightly.

The King and Terra both nodded sharply, materializing their keyblades as the thing let out another magnificent roar. The battle was on. It was surprisingly easy to beat, considering its size. I stood panting heavily, watching as it disappeared in a swirling mass of black smoke, a piteous groan escaping from both its heads.

A loud beeping noise came from over my shoulder. I turned and saw Terra lift a small device up and flip open its screen. He looked down and asked, "What is it?"

An unknown girl's voice answered clearly, "There's trouble in town. You'd better hurry, Terra."

"We're coming." He said, snapping the lid closed.

"I'll see you later! I'm off to search for the identity of the Princess of Heart, and find Master Xehanort. Maybe we can get to her before Nightmare does, and get him to help us with the Chasers." The King called over to us.

I waved as he disappeared in a bright flash of white light, giving Riku a worried look. Terra started walking in the direction of the town again without saying a word. I started and called after him, "Hey, wait up!"

We followed him through the intricate streets of the town, the layout familiar but slightly more put together. Occasionally Chasers would appear and we'd get off track, but with Terra's knowledge of shortcuts, it was easy to make our way to the heart of the town. As we passed by the random plant life littering the streets, I could finally see where Radiant Garden got its name from.

As we walked, I asked loudly, "So what happens if Nightmare gets the Princess of Heart?"

"He'll use her to take over Kingdom Hearts, first. Then he'll slowly take over all the worlds with darkness, using his Chasers and Heartless. Who knows what he'll do…" Terra said softly.

I shivered at the thought of a universe where there was no light.

We reached the town square in time to see another creature creating total mayhem. People ran by screaming, trying to get to safety, all except for a small blue haired girl darting around on the cracked ground beneath it.

Without any hesitation, Terra ran forward, Riku and I close behind. This creature was just as gigantic as the last one, but this one looked like a grotesque dragon with enormous black wings, its body a kaleidoscope of red and black, the same as all the rest of the Chasers. But the most frightening feature was that it had an enormously wide-set mouth, and hundreds of teeth filling every gap, revealing a terrifying perma-grin.

Again, this fight proved to be easy. When we had finished, Terra introduced us to his friend, Aqua. She was quiet, like Riku, but had a bit of a temper on her. Nice enough I suppose, just very, strict and business-like. She told us all about the numerous sightings of the new creatures in town. She showed Riku and me her little device (like the one Terra had) and showed us the different points on the map. Based on the statistics gathered, she managed to deduce the levels of difficulty they were. The next easiest one was just a little ways south from here at the town's garden.

We went on like this, taking care of the Chasers one by one. We defeated the last sometime that night, but at least the world was clean of Chaser infestation. I was sufficiently beat. Riku pressed a potion into my hand as he made his way over to a rock to sit on, gulping down his own as he went. Terra called over from his own seat, "Thanks…for helping us out. Hopefully we can find out where your friend is as we travel."

We made the plan then that we would travel from world to world where all the most famous Princesses were. Hopefully, they'd either be the missing Princess of Heart, or they'd at least know something.

I nodded, taking another swig of my potion, downing it. After that, we set up tents and went to bed. I couldn't sleep, though. My mind wouldn't let me. All I kept thinking about was Ahiro. I've never felt more worried about someone, not even Kairi.

Ahiro's POV:

I lay in bed shaking, a cold sweat covering my body. I closed my eyes and recalled what I had just done. I had fallen asleep, despite my best efforts not to do so. When I had finally reached the unconscious realm, I found myself in a pitch black expanse. It was cold, and completely devoid of light. I was too afraid to move. That's when I heard Nightmare's voice ring out, breaking the silence. He called, "You must create more Chasers, ones that I can use against your friends."

I shook my head, not sure if he could see me. His low chuckle sounded all around me, echoing, and he asked coyly, "No…?"

"Argh…!" I cried out, falling to my knees as I clutched my chest. A jolt of excruciating pain ran through me, not stopping until I cried out in short gasps, "I-I'll do it! ...Just…stop…please…"

I lay panting on the ground, the fire slowly leaving. As he laughed to himself, I thought: I'm sorry guys; I'll try to make them as weak as I can.

After they had finally defeated the last one, Nightmare rumbled, "You did well. Next time, don't go so easy on them; otherwise, I might have to take matters into my own hands."

Then I came crashing back to reality, gasping and shivering. I'm sitting on the bed now, still not believing that I actually created those monsters, the blanket wrapped tightly around my trembling frame. Sora…I'm sorry. He's just too strong.

_Wake up…  
It's nearly time…_

Sora's POV:

The next world we visited was where Princess Cinderella resided. The first thing we did when we arrived was fight off wave after wave of Chasers, clearing our path toward the castle in the distance. It took us most of the day to get through. We were resting on the side of the road when Terra got a call on his communicator.

"Terra! You've gotta hurry! I can't hold up the defense line much longer!" The static voice rang out, "Shit! There's the boss!! Gotta Go!"

Terra's face drained of color instantly, and Aqua snatched the com out of his hand yelling back, "Ven?! Don't worry! We're coming!!"

She launched herself in the direction of the castle, not bothering to see if we were following her. Terra stood stunned; clenching his fist, he growled under his breath, "Ven…"

Then he had taken off after her. Riku and I exchanged a glance, and then followed, wondering just who this newcomer was. We were stopped at the front gates across the drawbridge by another line of chasers when we saw the boss through the archway leading into the main courtyard of the castle. There was a boy at its base, casting spell after spell.

He looked like he was having a hard time, though. The creature kept swatting at him with its globule arm ferociously, the dodging was draining his energy rapidly. I saw a hole in the line of chasers, and took the opportunity to break through and make a mad dash for him. I heard the others calling after me, but didn't look back. The boy noticed me coming to his aid and motioned for me to go around the back while he distracted it.

I looked and noticed what he had in mind. The creature, despite being a giant undulating blob, had spikes coming from its back that had potential climb-ability. I smirked and jettisoned up its back easily.

After that, it wasn't hard to bring the monster down. Letting out a gurgling cry it came crashing to the ground disappearing slowly. The others came up just then, the way finally made clear. Terra and Aqua gazed just over my shoulder worriedly. I raised an eyebrow and turned to finally get a good look at the newcomer. He was smiling kindly at me as our eyes met and he called over, extending his hand toward me, "Thanks for helping me out back there…"

Aqua growled, "We were helping too…"

He laughed and muttered, "Of course!"

I think I was in shock. Only one other person looked like this guy, and that other guy had turned up looking almost exactly like me (with blonde hair instead)! I gaped at the boy standing in front of me with my head swimming in thoughts. The others seemed to have noticed too, because there was a sudden silence.

"I knew you looked similar when I first saw you, but…" Terra began, stepping between us and studying our features closely.

"…not _this_ similar…!" Aqua finished disbelievingly.

Ven and I stared at each other; mirror-images. I finally decided that I shouldn't kill myself by thinking too hard and said scratching the back of my head, "Hehe…maybe I should dye my hair to blonde…it looks better!"

Everyone glanced at me, and then burst into laughter. I sighed, glad the tension had somewhat cleared up. Ven stepped closer suddenly and said, "Thanks for helping me out, again."

"No prob!" I called back, grinning hugely.

We decided to talk to Cinderella first, and then make our camp here and figure out our plan.

She hadn't known anything either. I found that as we walked back to the courtyard to set up camp that it was getting more and more difficult to think positively. Thoughts like, we won't find him in time, and it's pointless, kept popping up. But I had a promise to keep.

"I'm going to take a walk…" I mumbled to Riku, heading for the drawbridge into the woods nearby.

It was pleasant out. The stars shone brightly through the sparse clouds dotting the night sky. I could easily find my way through the dense forest due to the moonlight shining brightly through the branches. Soon I came to the pond that we had passed earlier. It reflected the sky perfectly, completely still and serene. The light breeze didn't even seem to affect it. I crouched by the edge, running a hand through my spiky locks, and gazing deep into the reflections in the water.

I stayed there for a while, completely forgetting about time or rest. Thoughts of Ahiro kept crossing my mind. Finally I realized that I would need to be strong in order to continue the search for him. I then went back to the campsite and quickly fell asleep.

When I woke up in the morning our group made the plan to question Cinderella one more time, explore a bit around the grounds, follow any clues, and then spend one last night here, then move on to the next world.

There weren't many leads. Nothing offered up any clues to Ahiro's whereabouts. I was beginning to panic. My promise to him stayed fresh in my mind as we went from dead end to dead end. When darkness fell over the land again we set up camp just outside of the castle grounds next to the pond I had meditated at the other night. Cinderella seemed genuinely sorry that we weren't having any luck finding our friend.

I felt a little better after she made a point of pulling me aside. I had no idea I looked so distressed. I was a little embarrassed as she patted me on the back and stared straight into my eyes saying sweetly, "Don't worry, Sora. I've learned that a dream may be hard to reach sometimes, but if your heart wishes it, and you try your hardest, it'll come true. And that's what counts. He knows, Sora. He'll be alright."

I lowered my eyes to the floor, hiding behind my bangs as the tears threatened to fall. She seemed to understand and didn't say anything else. Instead she held my hand tightly and continued patting my shoulder soothingly, humming an unfamiliar tune.

I now sat by the edge of the pond again, gazing down at the reflection of the full moon in the water. Everyone knew tonight wasn't a good night to talk, which I was glad for. This mood wouldn't happen again. I'd be back to my normal self tomorrow. Tonight I just needed to go to a different place and think.

Ahiro's POV:

It's been months, now. Every few weeks Nightmare will come back and demand that I provide him with more monsters for the worlds that need to be infested by my dreams. That's where Sora and the others would be. To slow them down, he'd make me try to hurt them.

I try to fight against him, but that just makes my body weaker and weaker. Soon I fear that I won't be able to fight at all. Today had been especially hard. I thought I could fight against Nightmare and escape. Our battle was ferocious, and at one point I thought I might even win. My spell had hit him squarely in the chest. But that was too optimistic a thought. Before I could even register his move in my head he had disappeared, reappearing right behind me.

"Foolish…" he muttered softly. I let out a small squeak, and then fell to the ground in a heap.

When I woke up, I could barely move. Everything pulsated with pain. I couldn't even think straight. All I could do was cringe under my thin blankets, waiting. Thoughts of Sora, my best friend in all the worlds, kept flashing through my mind. He was probably the only reason I didn't shut down completely. Both of my best friends would appear in my thoughts, their soothing voices telling me that I'm strong and I can get through this.

I don't know how they could've gone through more than one of these 'adventures' and survived. I don't think I'm going to make it through this one. It made me think of them in different lights. I now understood to the fullest extent what they had to go through.

I tried looking back. Trying to remember what the beach and sun had felt like on that fateful day. Trying to remember what it was like to be in school. It all seemed so small and insignificant, now. Useless drama that hadn't meant anything…that I'd held onto unnecessarily. I couldn't even remember what grass felt like.

When you're on a journey you forget where you come from, and you have no idea where you're going. All you can do is survive and hope you're doing the right thing. That's what I've learned so far.

I felt a solitary tear squeeze out from behind my tightly shut eyes and slide the short distance down my face to the pillow. Sora…I believe in you. I know you're trying your hardest to find me.

"I just want to see them…at least once before I throw all the worlds into darkness…" I whispered in anguish as more tears fell from my eyes.

I fell into the grips of sleep after that, too tired to try to hold myself back from Nightmare. However, when I came-to in the black space in my mind, he wasn't there to meet me. I hadn't had regular sleep since arriving in my prison, so this seemed a little sketchy. I squinted at my surroundings, not sure if Nightmare was just testing me. No one came.

That's when I decided to sit and dream – take advantage of the situation. Good dreams…untainted, good dreams. I closed my eyes, envisioning my two closest friends near me, safe, and happy. I smiled, almost feeling my body get lighter with ease.

My eyes suddenly snapped open. Wait…this dream seemed…different. I glanced around at the scenery, taking small tentative steps as I went. I seemed to be in some sort of forest. There was a glassy pond to my left, and what appeared to be a camp ground ahead. I could almost feel the light breeze ruffle my hair, taste the sweetness of the blooming flowers on my tongue. Then I caught sight of a person lying near the edge of the pond, a little ways from the tents.

"_Sora…?_" I whispered.

I made my way over to his sleeping form carefully. I was still unsure about this being a trap. But deep in the pit of my stomach it somehow felt right. I was now standing over him, taking in how wonderful this dream really was. I could pick out every detail perfectly; it was like I was seeing him for the first time. Things I never noticed before jumped out at me.

I sucked in a swift breath of air to calm myself. Careful…don't get too carried away. It's only a dream. Enjoy it while you can. Crouching down next to him, I stared again, this time not getting so excited. He looked so serene. The calmest I'd ever seen him. Every time I've seen him, he's always been doing something reckless or distracting. This was a pleasant change. He lay on his back with an arm tucked behind his head, the other resting peacefully across his middle, breathing evenly. The moonlight fell directly across his face, making him look even more…dashing. I couldn't help but blush at my thoughts.

Next I raised a hand; I thought back to when we had come home for a "dude's night" when my date with Kairi hadn't worked out and remembered when I ran my hands through his hair. I grew warm all over and smiled. I wanted to feel that again. I stopped short though when I caught sight of my skin. It was emanating an eerie blue color and was almost transparent. I shook my head. It was only a dream. Slowly, I reached my hand down. I smiled as my fingers came in contact with his chocolate locks. It was better than I remembered.

I could never tell him that, though. He'd hate me. I didn't even realize how much I had been missing him until after we'd been apart for so long. It was like he was the brother I never had, but…something seemed different. I couldn't put my finger on it.

I heard a noise behind me and I stood up, getting ready to investigate the tents. Sora wouldn't need this many. I had made it halfway there when I heard someone call out groggily, "Who's there?"

I almost didn't register the voice in my head. Realization struck me though as my foot stilled in mid-air. I had forgotten what Sora's voice sounded like. I immediately spun on my heel to face him again. My eyes went straight to him lying on the ground. Now, however, instead of lying on his back, he had turned slightly so he was resting on one elbow gazing up horrified into my eyes.

"_Sora?_" I asked softly, his name feeling odd against my tongue.

His eyebrows were knitted together in a mix of confusion and shock. Shouldn't he be glad to see me in a dream? Maybe he really does hate me?

"A-Ahiro…" he breathed, shakily getting to his feet. "…you can't be real."

I furrowed my brows slightly. What did he mean? He seemed to be confused himself, because he suddenly reached down and pinched his arm. Hard. I saw him wince in pain, and then glance back at me to see if I was still there. His mouth fell open.

"H-how?!" he choked out, stumbling forward. "This has to be a dream!"

I stopped, all the pieces starting to fit together. This dream wasn't making any sense. How can it be a dream if everything feels so real? How can it be a dream if Sora even pinched himself and found out that it was real? What's going on?

I shot a glance at the camp ground and saw movement. My eyes widened. This was a dream, but it wasn't a normal person's dream. This was a Dreamer's dream. I had somehow sent my subconscious to the person I had been thinking about. All my friends are really here! This is amazing!

"_I'm dreaming…_" I muttered distractedly, relishing in the relief and happiness that was flooding through me.

"Dreaming?! No…I thought this was real!" Sora cried out looking as if he was about to cry.

"_No, I meant that I was dreaming! I'm here! Sora…_"

He continued to gape over at me, still not sure if this was a trick. I just slowly inched forward; reaching a hand out to him, to comfort him. Slowly he seemed to realize that it was all true; he was putting it all together in his head. I heard more distinct rustlings from behind. I was so ecstatic. I took a step toward him, eager to be nearer.

In response, he raised up his hand to grasp my own. To both our horrors, however, his hand passed through unexpectedly. I recoiled. What had I been expecting? That I had magically transported myself out of that hell-hole and materialized next to him?

I shook my head and stepped away, telling myself that, if this was all I was getting, then I'm glad I got at least this bit of freedom. To be near him again…made me feel whole. I smiled, catching his eye. His own eyes glittered with the old spark of his infectious happiness that was what made Sora, Sora.

_A…hi…ro…_

"_Eh?_" I asked my eyes widening as I looked around.

"What is it?" Sora asked worriedly searching my face.

I couldn't concentrate anymore, however, and I felt my conscious slipping as terror fell over me. That voice was…Nightmare's. I couldn't be here any longer. I could feel him getting nearer. I can't let him see me here!

_A…hi…ro…_

"_I have to go!_" I cried out suddenly, concentrating on pulling back to my body as hard as I could. The voices of the others grew louder behind me, but I paid no attention.

"No! You can't go! It's been too long…you can't leave…!" Sora called, trying desperately to snatch me into his arms.

I caught his gaze and said hastily, the last of my dream fading, "_We'll see each other again…I promise!_"

Everything went black for a moment, and when I regained sight, I saw that I was back in my mind again. I put my weary head in my hands, feeling the tears well up. They weren't tears of sadness, though. I didn't mind. I got to see Sora when I was there for that brief time. My hopes had been restored.

"I take it you're prepared for your next assignment?" Nightmare asked unexpectedly, his low voice sending shivers up my spine. "…the Maleficent woman wants more Chasers…"

I let out my breath and wiped at my eyes, preparing for more hard work. It was okay, though. I'd see Sora and the others again, soon. I'd make sure of it. The next time I got the chance to slip away again, I'd tell Sora all about Nightmare's plans. Maybe that would lead him closer to me.

There's still time.

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a/n: Holy crap!! Wasn't that awesome!!! Well, hopefully my friend and I will see you in the next chappie!!! Don't forget to review!!!!


	15. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: We do not own KH.

a/n: My my, well, arn't we excited to find out what happens!!! I know I am!!!! .

a/n2: Yes, well, there's gonna be a lot of exciting revelations happening in this chappie, so be prepared.

a/n: *gives a delighted squeal*

a/n2: *rolls eyes* Okay, so, Happy Readings everyone. And thanks for reviewing.

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Sora's POV:

It was hard to breathe. Had I really just seen what I thought I saw? Or was my mind finally playing ticks on me? I didn't even register the feeling of being shaken roughly by Riku until a few minutes after Ahiro disappeared. I blinked, my eyes focusing on his uncharacteristically hysterical face. I shook my head, finally coming back to reality.

Everyone was gathered around, all talking at once. The only clear question I could pick out was Riku's.

"Was that really…?!" he asked breathlessly.

I nodded mechanically, my legs suddenly turning to jell-o. I fell to my knees, Riku coming with me, holding me up so I wouldn't go face-first into the dirt. He held my gaze, his eyes as wide as saucers.

"What's going on?!" Aqua asked a trace of anger in her voice. "Who was that?! Are we under some kind of attack?!"

I trained my gaze on her and whispered disbelievingly, "That was the person we've been searching for…our friend…"

"You mean the Dreamer?!" she asked.

I nodded slowly. Everyone was stunned for a moment. Then Terra asked, "Did he tell you where he was? Where Nightmare was?"

"No…" I replied softly, feeling my head swim. "He left before he could tell me…"

"Did he say he'd come back?" Ven asked quietly.

_We'll see each other again…I promise!_

"Yes." I said the strength in my voice returning. "He did. Yes! Riku! We're so close! Ahiro's coming back!"

He grinned and helped me to my feet, my happiness rubbing off on everyone as I danced around with newfound energy. I suddenly turned to them and called, "Alright! We've got to make plans! Where are we going next?"

They all just laughed and Terra said, "Maybe we should talk in the morning. It's still night after all."

I blushed and scratched the back of my head in embarrassment. I stuttered, "Y-yeah, I suppose you're right…"

But I couldn't sleep. Not after that. Don't worry Ahiro. I'll find you.

It has been five months since I've last seen Ahiro as an illusion and close to a year since I'd actually seen him in person. Seven worlds have passed by on our journey, eight including the one we're at now. There hasn't been any contact from him at all. That time outside of Cinderella's castle seemed like an eternity ago.

I turned restlessly once again to my other side, trying to make myself comfortable so I could get some rest. It hadn't been coming easily as of late. Even with that visit by Ahiro's dream so long ago, I couldn't be comforted until I found him. I fell into a restless sleep after that.

We finally reached the Seven Dwarf's house. It had taken us most of the morning to get through the woods where Chasers seemed to lurk in every shadow. Now we were taking a long deserved break from our journey in this secluded place. Riku lay a few feet away, fast asleep. Terra, Aqua, and Ven were over by the small creek a few yards away, talking animatedly.

I smiled as the sun warmed my face, their laughter wafting over to me on the light wind.

"Hey, Sora…?"

I opened my eyes a crack against the light and saw Ven standing over me with a small smile turning up his lips. I sat up slightly and asked, "What's up?"

He took a seat next to me and sighed, looking out across the perfect meadow. He glanced at me and asked in a slightly embarrassed tone, "This is going to sound really awkward, but…"

He nervously ran a hand across the back of his neck, an almost mirror image of my own embarrassed gesture, and muttered, "I don't know what it is about you, but I feel like we're connected somehow…"

_Distant Hearts, when rejoined as one…  
May find the light within…_

I blinked and thought for a moment. Did I feel the same bond? A little voice inside of me said yes. I stared into his eyes and nodded. He looked relieved.

"Good. I've felt that ever since we met."

"I guess I have too. I just never noticed…" I said, thoughtfully tapping my chin in reflection. "I mean, we do share the same devilish good looks, but…"

He grinned, and we talked for a couple hours, watching Terra and Aqua have an argument over battle plans. Terra had deviated from one of them earlier that day saying it was incomplete and wouldn't work. Aqua argued that the only reason it didn't work was because he was too slow to act. She referenced to the fight against the old Queen earlier in the day (turned Chaser Boss).

That had been a tiring battle. The more I tuned their voices out, the more I felt my tense body finally relaxing. Beside me, Ven was doing the same. I had almost started dozing off when I felt his hand clamp onto my arm. I looked at Ven and saw his eyes were in agonizing terror. I followed his gaze and felt my jaw drop in a silent yell.

Across the field, coming out of the dark shadows of the forest, was Nightmare. I jumped up and called to the others, Ven trailing not too far after me. We all gathered at the edge of the creek, studying the smug man standing still under the cover of the trees. I finally called over, "What do you want?!"

He unfolded his arms and took a step forward, revealing himself to the dying sunlight at last. He called over in his deep voice, "Greetings Keybearers."

I repeated angrily, "What do you want?!"

If I could see his face, I know he would've been smirking. He replied, taking a few steps toward us, "I just wanted to give you a status report on your friend…thought you might be curious…"

My heart thudded to a sharp stop. What had happened to Ahiro?

"He's not been harmed, if that's what you're thinking…" Nightmare muttered nonchalantly. "…well, not very much…"

I growled and made a move toward him, but Ven and Riku got a hold of me. I strained against their grip, but it was no use. What was Nightmare trying to do? Taunt us?!

"He's quite well, actually. He's been such a good boy that I decided to take his chains off finally!"

"Bastard!" I screamed, pulling with all my might against Ven and Riku.

"It's too bad he's so good…" Nightmare continued, starring directly at Sora. "…those bruises don't fit him. Maybe you should hurry and find him…?"

Everyone yelled obscenities at him now. Through the pulsating of my heart in my ears I could hear Nightmare chuckling. I managed to wrench myself from Riku's and Ven's grasps due to their lack of concentration and bolt forward across the creek to where he stood. I materialized my keyblade and saw red, just as a giant black swirling mass appeared behind Nightmare.

"You're not going **_anywhere_**!" I called, jumping into the air and bringing my keyblade down at the same time.

I was blocked, however, and flung back a few feet. I was not phased, and I sprinted forward again for another attack. This time I used up a little of my MP before I took a swipe at him. He dodged my magic, but was caught unawares as I came in from the side, sending a hard blow to his abdomen. It was his turn to fly back a few feet. But to my extreme outrage, I saw that it had brought him closer to his escape route. Again, if I could see his face, he would have been smirking.

He said lowly, so only I could hear, "You'll never take him from me…"

I swung as he slid inhumanly back into the swirling mass, but by the time my keyblade reached him, he had been sucked up and taken away. It passed through the dispersing mass cleanly. I let out a cry and threw my keyblade to the ground, causing chunks of grass and dirt to come flying up. I stood there for a moment, breathing heavily. Then I heard the sound of footsteps behind me.

"Sora…?" Ven's cautious voice asked.

I turned slowly, my eyes sparkling with a newly charged flame of determination. The others looked a little startled with my change in attitude, but Riku just smiled and said, "Let's rest before we go do anything rash…"

I blushed and threw an embarrassed arm behind my head, smothering my anger; I stooped and picked up my keyblade. Grinning I said, "I guess you're right."

A few hours later I lay wide awake on my sleeping bag. It was no use. There was absolutely no way I was getting any rest tonight. So instead of pointlessly laying there, I got up and exited the tent, heading for the little bridge that rested over the creek. I thought back on everything that happened today. There was the epic battle through the woods early in the morning, the crushing news of Snow White and her Dwarves not knowing anything about Ahiro or the Princess of Heart, the quick battle against that bitch of a Queen that was terrorizing Snow White, and Nightmare showing up.

The dull hollow sound of my shoes against the wood of the bridge comforted me. Coupled with the rushing water from the creek, it had a strange calming effect on my sensitive nerves. Not enough to let me sleep, however. I leaned against the railing and peered over the side into the reflection of the water. I saw myself, obviously, but I also saw how worn I looked. I remember gazing into a little stream a long while ago in Radiant Garden - Hollow Bastion back then - and seeing myself looking just as worn. This time seemed different though. I went down to the bank, crouching even closer to my reflection to try and pinpoint what the abnormality was. There was something in my eyes…something that seemed more troubled than before, more frantic.

Could it be because this quest wasn't for Kairi? Could it be because Ahiro was someone who, in my heart, felt more important than anything in all the worlds? From my position I could only see part of our campsite. I glanced over at the tent holding Riku inside it, sleeping peacefully. Was he just as worried as I was? Leaning back and falling onto my backside, I switched my gaze to the stars, wishing for any sign of Ahiro. A whisper of his name on someone else's lips, a hint of his whereabouts on a scrap of paper, the sound of his voice even for another moment, just so I'd know he was alright.

I sighed, shutting my eyes as tight as they could. Concentrate, Sora. You have to keep a cool head if you want to save him. Think.

_"Sora…?"_

My eyes shot open and I looked around. Were my ears deceiving me, or did I just hear…?

_"Sora?!"_ the familiar voice whispered again, closer than before.

I froze, dread filling my heart. I really hoped this wasn't a trick of my mind. I'd wanted this to happen again for so long. Slowly, I turned my head toward the sound of the voice. When I finally saw the person, I could only blink in astonishment. Then I tried speaking, but my voice had left me. Finally, I resolved to sitting up and gaping at Ahiro.

_"Sora, you have no idea how happy I am to see you!"_ Ahiro whimpered desperately trying to hold back the tears pouring down his face.

I tried throwing my arms around his shoulders again, forgetting that he wasn't exactly solid, and passed right through him. I grinned sheepishly and muttered, "I forgot…"

We sat in silence for a moment, starring at each other. Before, I hadn't taken the time to look at him thoroughly, but now as my eyes raked over his exposed skin, I saw dozens of bruises. Even through the weird blue tint of his dream self, I could see that. I was so ashamed that this whole thing was partially my fault. Finally, I mustered up enough courage to whisper, "I'm sorry, Ahiro, I-"

"_Don't._" he muttered suddenly. I started and looked over at him. His shoulders were shaking with the effort of not crying. He was still strong. I was glad. He raised his head and focused his eyes on mine continuing, "_I don't want an apology, Sora. I know you're trying your hardest to find me. You promised me, s-so…_"

His voice cracked and faded. I studied him for a few moments, watching as his imaginary tears trickled down and dripped onto the ground, disappearing. I finally mustered up enough courage to whisper, "I miss you…I didn't tell you that before, but…"

His head snapped up once again to stare at me. I watched as a smile slowly lit up his features once again, and then he said thickly, "_You have no idea how much I miss you, Sora. Nightmare, he's been-_"

I then realized that I was talking with the person I had been searching so desperately for over the past few months. The person who was like the little brother I never had. And he could possibly know some clues about where they were keeping him. I cried out, cutting him off, "Ahiro, do you know where you are?! Tell me!"

I heard the groans of the others waking up, but I didn't falter. I gazed at him intensely, hoping he could give me a clue to his location. I heard Riku call out his name and come to a stop next to me, nearly pushing me into the water, followed closely by the others. Ahiro thought hard for a moment, and then realization flashed across his face. My heart fluttered with joy at the prospect of finally finding him.

_"I'm in a castle, in the basem-…ack!"_ he choked, clutching at his throat. I watched horrified as he clawed at the invisible hand cutting off his air. Desperately he clawed and struggled against the unknown assailant. In horror I watched as his dream-self slowly slipped away. Riku was crying out, and trying to grab him, but it was no use. The last thing Ahiro managed to gag out was, _"Aurora!"_

Then he was gone.

My heart seemed to have plummeted away, leaving me stunned and unable to think. Silence filled the meadow as everything that happened sunk in. What was 'Aurora' supposed to mean? Had Ahiro been found out by Nightmare? I looked wildly to the others for the answers. They were already thinking. Finally Ven said thoughtfully, "There is one place that fits…"

I bounded up to him and asked eagerly, "Where is it?"

Aqua poked me gently in the chest, informing me that I should back up if I wanted to keep my life. She then muttered coolly, "A world has just started getting activity that fits your friend's description."

She showed me her world map and pointed out the destination. My confidence and determination were both back. I cried out, punching my fist into the air, "Let's go, then!"

I then turned on my heel and headed in the direction of the gummi ship. Aqua called after me wondering just what I was doing, so I called back, "I don't care if I don't know what I'm doing! I'm going to go save my friend!"

I turned back and flashed them all a grin. Riku, however, just shook his head and said, "We're coming with you, stupid."

Excitedly, I bounded to the teleportation device, and got ready. Don't worry Ahiro. The promise I made to him coming back to me, fresh in my mind:

_Don't worry. No matter what, I'll always protect you. Whatever's going to happen, I'll do my best to keep you safe._

Ahiro's POV:

"I'm disappointed…" Nightmare said coolly, throwing me by the neck to the cold stone floor. "I never thought that you would betray me like this..."

My wrist throbbed from breaking my fall, but I didn't have enough time to think about that. He straddled me and yanked my face up close to the cold of his mask by the collar of my shirt, and whispered dangerously, "You're lucky I need you…"

I stared defiantly up into his face, daring him. Suddenly his fist came out of nowhere and collided with the left side of my face. Air, spit and blood flew from my lips as my neck strained to the right with the force of the blow. My head lolled as I recovered. Nightmare pressed closer and mumbled, "…but that won't stop me from punishing you…"

I whimpered slightly as he released me and strode around me lying on the floor, clutching my jaw. His foot collided with my side, next, followed by a few torturous blasts of his dark powers. He continued beating on me until I couldn't even hold my eyes open through the swelling. I heard him chuckle and spit out venomously before he disappeared through the portal behind the door, "Sweet Dreams."

A few hours later I was woken by the harsh sound of the door scraping open. I scrambled to my feet, raising my fists. The Chasers came out first, followed closely by Nightmare. My swelling had gone down considerably so I could clearly see him through the din. He took a few steps away from the door, and I watched as he made a small gesture to the Chasers. They slinked over and dragged me after him, to the screaming protest of the bruises on my ribs. I shivered as we passed through the dark swirling vortex that appeared as Nightmare raised his hand. I wasn't sure where he was taking me, or what he planned. I was scared. Soon, I could see faint light coming from ahead of us.

It led out into a grand ballroom the ceiling hundreds of yards up. I glanced around the floor, and with utter horror saw people scattered here and there. They looked dead. I shot a glance at Nightmare, but he showed no signs. Instead, he began weaving his way through the people dotting the ground to a hallway opposite us.

"Why did you kill them?!" I cried out, struggling against the Chasers' grip on my arms, not wanting to go near the decaying bodies.

"I didn't kill them, they're sleeping…under a spell that that Maleficent woman helped cast." Nightmare answered easily, not breaking his stride.

I relaxed slightly, happy that the innocent people of this kingdom had not been harmed. As we traversed to the hallway where Nightmare was nearing, I looked to the epicenter of the grand ballroom and saw two large thrones, a King and Queen fast asleep in them. That must be Princess Aurora's parents, I thought dismally. Nightmare had mentioned Maleficent's plans when we were in my mind once.

I hoped Sora would be able to figure out where I was from my small clue. I shut my eyes tight and wished with all my heart. Please, Sora, I want to see you and Riku again. I want to go home!

More people were littering the castle halls as we made our way higher and higher, either leaning precariously against something, sitting slumped against each other, or lying sprawled across the floor as they snored. Finally, we came to a stop at the top of the fifth flight of stairs. Nightmare pushed open the door and strolled in easily.

"Welcome, Prince, to your room." He said mockingly.

The Chasers released me roughly, and blocked the door. I gazed at Nightmare questioningly and asked, "Prince? What are you talking about?"

"Before when you had been cavorting with that boy, I had been researching the Princess of Heart's whereabouts." He said a slightly dangerous tone to his voice. "Do you want to know what I found, Ahiro?"

I nodded my head cautiously, completely lost. How would this relate to him calling me Prince? I was only the Dreamer.

"Well, my revelation came when I followed that King Mickey to my late Master's old study. Apparently the old man had been keeping more from me than I thought. Around twenty years ago, the Princess managed to escape, sealing Kingdom Hearts before she went. No one knew where she had gone to until he got word from one of the Chasers. Apparently she had found an out of the way world to settle into. She met a man there and married. Even had a kid.

My Master had found this out when I had started going against his will, so he decided against telling me. Instead, he kept it well hidden amongst his notes. But before the King had a chance to stop me, I escaped back to your room. Once I'd gone back into your mind and saw you Dreaming of that boy, I thought I was done-for. You hadn't told him yet, however. I still had a little bit of luck."

"What the hell does this have to do with me?!" I asked angrily.

If I could have seen his face, I know he would have been smirking. He said slowly, "The Princess was killed in a car accident, along with her driver; leaving behind a little boy…..You understand why I call you Prince, now, don't you?"

My entire world crashed around my ears. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't move, all I could do was stare wide-eyed at Nightmare and whisper, "No way…"

"You inherited your mother's powers as watcher over the Hearts of all the worlds. You inherited your father's powers as Dreamer. You are the Prince of Hearts. You've been right under my nose this entire time!" Nightmare boomed, taking a few steps toward me.

I didn't like the sound of his voice. It was almost…crazed. I regained enough motor functions to take a few stumbling steps back. I didn't make it far, however. The back of my knees bumped into something and they crumpled. I shot a glance over my shoulder and gasped. Lying on the bed was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. Her billowing golden hair fell gracefully down past her shoulders, brushing gently against her cheeks. Her lips were the tempting color of a rose.

"Aurora…" I breathed, realizing who she was.

"In an enchanted sleep, that only true love's kiss can break…" Nightmare muttered unexpectedly.

I trained my gaze on him once again and saw his helmeted head was turned toward the girl as she slept peacefully. I thought I could feel a trace of pity emanating from him. But when he caught sight of me starring, all traces of that vanished to be replaced by his usual cold demeanor.

He suddenly grasped me around the middle and hoisted me easily over his shoulder. I beat against his back, frantically, scared of what was to come. But he didn't carry me far. I was gently placed on another bed in the room, and chained to it. He caressed my cheek gently and whispered, "You are the key to my power...my Prince…nothing will get in my way now…"

I jerked away from his touch and glared at a spot on the floor to my right. Nightmare didn't say anything else. He then disappeared from sight, taking my consciousness with him. I was out cold, back in my mind.

* * *

a/n: O.o Will Ahiro be alright?! *wimpers*

a/n2: We'll find out.

a/n: You're no fun!! I don't like to worry!!! It makes me get zits!!!

a/n2: ...

a/n: See you in the next chappie.

a/n2: Oh, by the way, I hope that you few readers are noticing the change of the characters throughout this journey. I would love to explain why they're acting certain ways if you have any discrepancys, or you don't get it. I like talking about it. It's fun. Anyways, see you next time.


	16. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: We do not own KH.

a/n: You have been a naughty writer!!!! .

a/n2: *sniffles* I can't help it if I've been out for ever with the flu.

a/n: Ohhhhhh!!!! I can't be mad at you!! You're just too cute, even though that probably's killing you!!! Hahaha

a/n2: Shut up...

a/n: Now, now, play nice.

a/n2: I really am sorry though. I'm way behind on updating these for you readers. It probably wouldn't have been that hard for me to haul my girth out of bed and typed a few words, but what can I say, I'm lazy.

a/n: But we still love you!!!! Happy Readings (finally)!!!!!

* * *

Sora's POV:

"Ahiro…is the only living descendant of the Princess of Heart. So therefore, he is now the Prince of Heart." The King said, his ears drooping slightly.

I gaped at the King, not believing what I was hearing. If what he said was true, then…

My heart gave a weak thump. It couldn't be…

"I'm sorry I didn't figure this out sooner…" the King muttered sadly. "Nightmare followed me and found out, too."

My insides burned. That means Ahiro is in more danger than ever, now. Everything was silent for a moment, even the working parts of the gummi ship seemed to still. I finally took in a shaky breath and asked faintly, "Is there any way to stop Nightmare?"

No one replied.

Mickey shared his thoughts with us after a few moments. He figured that Nightmare must have been using the bigger Chasers as a diversion, in order to keep us from finding Ahiro before he could locate the Princess. Since Ahiro is the Ultimate Dreamer, Nightmare will probably use him to effectively takeover the worlds. It'll be easy. He has the power of the Ultimate Dreamer and the power over Kingdom Hearts. It will be virtually impossible to stop him.

My heart thudded wildly as I listened. Everything they said seemed to strike a chord in me, causing the anger to erupt and boil over. Clenching my fists, I turned; making sure no one saw my face. Then I stormed back to my room, sitting heavily on my bed. Why was I feeling so numb? I clutched at my shirt, at the spot over my heart, and breathed deeply. What's gotten into me?

"Sora…?" I heard Riku ask quietly from the doorframe.

I didn't look up, but I answered with a small, "What?"

Silently, he closed the door and made his way over to my side, sitting gently next to me. He waited a few seconds, and then continued with, "I have a question to ask you…"

I lifted my head slightly, gazing in question at his closed eyes, still rubbing at the spot over my heart. He took in a deep breath and asked slowly, "Sora…are you in love with Ahiro?"

My hand stilled. His green eyes flashed intensely as he finished. I was stunned. We both sat there in silence, studying each other, realizing what had happened just now. Our lives are now completely different. Finally after he noticed there was no sign of me recovering from my spell of silence, he sighed, patted me on the back, and made his way to the door.

"Sora…" he called over his shoulder. "…get some rest."

I clutched the sides of my head when the door shut with a soft click. How could he think that? There was no way. Ahiro was like the brother I never had. I'm sure of it. Despite my resolution to continue thinking this way, it didn't change the fact that what Riku had said kept popping up. He had instilled the seed of doubt in my mind. His attempt at telling me to rest would be useless. My head didn't stop reeling until after we departed from the gummi ship and stepped foot on the last world.

"What the…?" I whispered horror struck.

Spreading out before us wasn't a world anymore, but a place of destruction. I could barely pick out the features that used to be beautiful. They were now either distorted beyond recognition, or covered in black thorny branches. The sky was overcast, with green-ish white lightning flashing in the clouds, momentarily illuminating them. It was eerie.

Tentatively we started forward, all of us drawing our keyblades. Before we'd made it ten steps, however, we were bombarded by a cluster of Aero-Chasers. After that, we slowly made our way along the cracked path toward the castle in the distance. The whole time I didn't stop thinking of Ahiro. Saving him was not an option.

"Sora, watch out!" Ven cried mid-block from a Chaser.

I looked around at just the right moment. Bursting through the thicket of thorns was a horse, his rider crying out and flailing a sword. I ducked and rolled out of its way. Was this another enemy? I readied myself as the steed came around.

"You, there!" the young rider called, pointing at me. "Who are you?"

"Sora! These are my friends. We're here to save this world!" I yelled back over the screeches of the dying Chasers.

His face lit up. He asked, "Are you on your way to the castle, then?"

I nodded. He jumped off his horse and slapped its backside calling, "Ride Samson!" It galloped off the way we had come leaving its master behind. The young man strode up to me and extended his hand. He said, "I'm Prince Phillip. I would be most grateful if I could join you. I am trying to rescue the Princess."

I smiled, taking up his outstretched hand, shaking it vigorously. Then we were off again. The Prince was helpful because of his knowledge of the land. We made it to the castle gates in no time. However, before we could go any further, we heard a shrill cackling from behind us.

"Now you shall deal with me, oh Prince, and all the powers of Darkness!" came the screech from a green ball of flames that had come crashing down. It was Maleficent.

Suddenly, she raised her arms and called out, "I will now use these powers bestowed upon me by the Darkness, and invoke my will!" The flames erupted around her once again and she began to elongate. I gaped as she transformed before our eyes into a giant dragon.

I launched myself toward her, following the prince and called over my shoulder, "Stay back and clear the gate! We'll take care of her!"

This was the second time I'd fought her, after all. I knew how she worked. Or at least I thought I did. She was surprisingly more agile than she had been in the future, which surprised me. I was standing too close, preparing to jump up onto her back when her long neck carried her head to where I was and blew fire at me. I only just managed to jump out of the way. After that I had to be creative in the way I landed blows.

Mostly I used my blizzard on her, while the Prince went for the head. After a few hits, she'd stumble and provide me with a way up. I'd stay up there while she was stunned, landing additional blows, but get thrown off as she reared back, emitting an ear-splitting roar.

Finally, when I thought we were done for, cornered on a cliff, the Prince looked to me and said breathlessly, "Quick, take my sword…my arm can't…pierce her heart…!"

I took up his huge sword and stood unsurely in front of him, facing the snarling Maleficent. Just then she reared up, preparing to deliver the final blow, revealing her soft underbelly. I had one chance to do this. I threw the Prince's sword as hard as I could, and watched as it sunk into her flesh. She wailed pityingly and fell. She was aimed right for us, but I deflected her snapping jaws with a blow from my keyblade and dodged.

"Nooooo!" she screamed, plummeting through the flames to the ground below.

I gazed down at her from above. The only thing that was left of her was her cloak, pierced by the sword, its hilt pointing directly at me. I knew she would be back though. She didn't have a heart to pierce. Carefully I helped the Prince back to the castle's gate. Riku came up and gave us potions.

"Phillip, where would the Princess be hidden?" I asked, still trying to regain my breath.

He shook his head and muttered, "I have no idea."

"We can help!" a small voice cried. I looked around and spotted three fairies. The Prince recognized them, so I didn't ask questions.

Once we were rested enough, we went through the gate into the castle grounds. This place felt strange. Like everyone had been caught in the middle of something and then had a magical blanket pulled up, placing them in the dream world. People were lying here and there, sleeping peacefully. I prodded one to test, and he fell over, still snoring soundly. Terra asked, "What happened here?"

"We…uh…had to put them in a sleep." One of the fairies said guiltily.

Another spoke up and said, "It's only until this guy here can give the Princess love's true kiss and break the spell over everyone."

"Where is she?" the Prince asked softly, interrupting Aqua mid-question, which ticked her off.

"Follow us…"

It was easier said than done. More Chasers kept cutting us off every hallway we'd enter. By the time we reached the ballroom, we must have taken care of thousands. Thankfully, we were granted a break in here. I fell onto the ground next to a noble snoring loudly, his mustache fluttering as he exhaled, and sighed. Everyone was beat, but I still had it in me to keep going. Ahiro needed us.

We only rested for a little longer, and then we started off after the fairies once again. I could sense that we were getting close. But so did something else; another Boss. It came crashing through the wall just as we caught sight of the tower door on the landing below. It looked like a normal Chaser, except that not only did it have long skeletal arms that hung too low, but attached at the ends were swords. No, they weren't even attached, they _were_ its hands. Its faceless head turned in our direction.

This time, we didn't have to do much to kill it. It was as if it was one of the easier Chasers from the beginning of our journey. Once it had been defeated we all clambered up the last stairs to the tower door. Bursting in I called out, "Ahiro?!"

My heart thudded wildly when my eyes finally fell on him. To see him in person after so long nearly brought me to tears, but instead of bawling uncontrollably, I rushed to his side. My breath caught in my throat, and my hand stilled over his shoulder. Riku came sprinting over and came to a halt next to me.

"What's that covering him?" he asked worriedly.

He was covered from head to toe in swirling black and red tendrils. I tried touching him gently, but only received a shooting pain. I recoiled, clutching my hand to my chest. I also noticed he was chained to the bed he was lying on. I immediately began work on them, careful not to come into contact with him.

The Prince had collapsed in a chair by the door. But thankfully, by the time we had released Ahiro, he had recovered. He boldly walked to the Princess's bedside and bent down. I watched as their lips met. Maybe Ahiro would wake up too.

I switched my gaze to Ahiro and stared intently. Nothing happened. The Princess woke, but Ahiro didn't. Riku had the same idea and asked, "Why didn't he wake up?!"

Terra, Aqua, and Ven had joined us by his side, now. I called loudly, "Ahiro?! Ahiro wake up! It's me, Sora!"

Nothing.

"I kept my promise Ahiro! Please, wake up!" I cried, my shoulders shaking with the effort of holding back my tears. "AHIRO?!"

Riku placed his shaking hand on my back, also holding back tears. It was killing me, seeing him like this. I couldn't even touch him, unless I wanted to get hurt. My legs fell out from under me. Landing on my knees I whispered weakly, "…Ahiro…"

Finally I let the tears fall. After all this time…I was too late. Terra and the others all gazed at me, tears of their own sparkling in the corners of their eyes. Suddenly, I heard Riku gasp. I glanced up at him and saw him starring in horror at Ahiro. I followed his gaze and saw that Ahiro had opened his eyes, but…they weren't that beautiful dark almost black blue that I loved. Instead, they were glowing blood red.

"A-Ahiro…?" I asked shakily, getting back on my feet.

He didn't respond, instead he sat up, without using his arms and slowly he got out of the bed, making his way to the window in the center of the back wall that overlooked the kingdom. We stayed our distances from him, watching as he stopped a few feet back from it and raised his arm. A bolt of darkness came shooting out of his hand, filling the window. The darkness then spilled down creating stairs. Ahiro lifted his foot and started up them.

I looked back to the others quickly and said, "He's going into a different realm. You have to make the decision now if you want to go or not, because it'll probably disappear not long after he goes in."

And with that, I turned and followed Ahiro. When I came out on the other side, I saw that everything was a mass of swirling black and red, making the dimensions of the room indistinguishable. Glancing behind, I was glad to see that everyone besides the Prince and Princess were there. I smiled appreciatively.

Terra shrugged and said, "He's the Prince of Hears we've been looking for. We wouldn't abandon him, now."

"Thanks…" I said.

I caught Riku's eyes and exchanged a look with him. He nodded, stepping up next to me.

"So, you've finally made it!" a voice boomed.

I called out my keyblade and growled, "Nightmare! I know you're here, so show yourself!"

There was momentary silence, and then a swirling black mass erupted up at Ahiro's side. He wasn't fazed. He continued staring blankly ahead of himself. Nightmare raised an arm and stroked Ahiro's face with a finger, slowly coming to a rest at his chin. He gripped his jaw, turning the blank face up to his.

"Looks like you were too late in saving him, keybearer." He said mockingly. "He's under my control, now."

It felt as if my heart had imploded. I was like a shell, filled only with anger and revenge. I let out a scream and bolted forward. If I could see Nightmare's face, he would have been smirking. He had suddenly jumped out of the way, leaving only Ahiro. I started pulling back, but a bright flash caught my eye. Before I had the chance to stop myself, my blow was blocked.

Shocked, I looked and saw that Ahiro had materialized his own weapon. The metal was light blue, in an intricate swirling pattern at the hilt. Intertwined within the blue, was gold and purple, all meeting to form a swirling key at the end. However, his keyblade was much smaller, just about the same length as his forearm. Ahiro parried my downswing and sidestepped away. Still stunned, I didn't think fast enough to block his blow. A blast of energy hit me square in the chest. I barely had enough time to regain my breath, when he was coming at me again.

No…I can't fight against him…

"Ahiro!" I cried out desperately. "Please get a hold of yourself! It's me, Sora! Wake up!"

He didn't hear me. Instead, he kept attacking mindlessly. All I could do was block and dodge. From behind me I could hear an intense battle going on between Terra and Nightmare. But, some of the things Nightmare was jeering didn't make any sense.

"Come on! Where's that power?! I know it's in there! My master put it there! All you have to do is tap into it. Let it loose!"

"Never!" Terra cried back over the clanging of keyblade on keyblade. "My heart belongs to me!"

_The darkness is spreading inside him…_

It felt like an eternity in that place. Only the shouts and clanging and fighting were in my head, Riku, Aqua, and Ven all fighting to keep the waves of newly forming Chasers at bay. I kept trying to get through to Ahiro calling, "Can't you see what your dreams are doing?! Please stop! You're not like this! I know you Ahiro!"

Just as I felt my legs finally collapse from exhaustion, and watch as Ahiro made to make the last blow, did anything happen. Terra seemed to be emitting some sort of power; the air around him was shimmering. I looked closer and saw that his eyes had changed color, a sort of golden yellow. What was going on?

"Ahhhhrrrgh!" I heard Ahiro cry out from above me. I immediately turned my head to face him and saw that he had dropped his keyblade, his hands clutching at the sides of his head. He stumbled, still crying out in pain. I only just managed to catch him before he hit the ground. I winced from the pain of touching him, but held on anyways.

Please be alright…

Ahiro's POV:

After I had blacked out, I had gone into the confines of my mind once again. Trapped, like a shivering animal. I hunched and waited for Nightmare to come. When he did, he came up behind and rested a hand on my shoulder. He whispered chillingly, "You're mine…"

I had always thought when I was little that it would be cool to have a story written just for you; starring you as the main character, fighting bravely, and risking it all to save the world from certain destruction. Now that I know what it's like being in my own real life journey, I wished I had dreamed of something else.

When his hand had touched my shoulder, all I could feel was pain. I couldn't hear, think, speak, or see…nothing. I had faintly heard far-away voices, but I was shut up tight in this prison. No hope of escape. Then I had felt another power; a strong one. The pain grew and I could feel Nightmare's hold on me slipping.

"Ahiro!! Wake up! Please, I kept my promise!"

Whose voice was that?

_"Please…save him."_

What? Who?

And then it was like a great weight had been lifted. That last voice was that mysterious cloaked figure from long before. All the pieces started fitting together. All those cryptic messages were starting to make sense.

_Wake up…  
It's nearly time…  
Don't be frightened.  
Only the Dreamer can create._

That was right. Only the Dreamer can create…and undo. In my mind, I wrenched away from Nightmare's grip. He sneered, "What do you think you're doing weakling?"

_You can't trust your dreams…_

"You have no power over me in here. This is _my_ dream! Only I can create!" I shouted, shaking with rage. "All along I could have fought you!"

Nightmare took a few steps toward me. I didn't back away. Instead, I called forth my weapon. It was something I had never seen before, and didn't look remotely like Sora's keyblade, I was ready all the same. We fought ferociously.

"I didn't have any confidence before. I was still little Ahiro, high school first year. Now I'm Ahiro, Prince of Heart and Dreamer!" I called, striking Nightmare hard on the side.

He fell to the ground, his keyblade skittering away into the shadows. I pointed my weapon at his neck and said clearly, "I can't trust my dreams…"

"You can't do it." Nightmare spat. "You don't have the guts to get rid of me…"

I just smiled and continued, "…you're just a nightmare…"

And, as he faded away, I could feel my body returning to the conscious world.

Sora's POV:

Behind me, Nightmare let out a gruesome scream, calling back Terra from his surge of power. Everyone stopped to look over at him. His body seemed to be dissipating into smoke. I gaped as he slowly faded away.

Without warning, Ahiro snapped up out of my arms, gasping. To my utter disbelief I saw that his eyes had gone back to normal; beautiful onyx-blue once again. He blinked a few times, and then turned his gaze on me. Tears welled up without warning and he lunged, wrapping his arms tightly around my neck.

"Oh, Sora, I never thought I'd see you again…" he whispered thickly into my hair.

My whole body was flooded with relief. It was like I had the missing piece of my life back. Time stilled as I wrapped my arms tightly around his slight frame. Maybe Riku was right. Maybe I did fall in love with Ahiro after all this time…

"Gah!" Ahiro cried out, coughing violently. I quickly removed myself from our embrace and watched as he held a hand to his mouth, catching the scarlet spray emanating from it. He removed the said hand and gazed in shocked horror at the blood coating his palm.

I was about to start administering treatment when another scream came from behind us. I quickly hoisted the coughing Ahiro into my arms and turned to look at the others. They all still had their keyblades out and were surrounding the spot where I had last seen Nightmare dissipating. I took a closer look, and just over Ven's shoulder, I could see an undulating blob of dark energy, the shrill cry still emanating from it. I called for everyone to back away, and we watched as the dark matter expanded until the thing was completely unrecognizable. Nightmare had resorted to his primal form – a Chaser.

"You…are mine…!" it called in a deep booming voice.

It was grotesque. The body undulated and writhed as its lopsided legs attempted to hold it up, while its arms lolled about in its sockets, reaching for the key to all worlds. No way! I was about to take Ahiro to safety when I felt him place his un-bloodied hand upon my shoulder. I glanced down in surprise and met his gaze. I was glad to see that the old flare of my tutor was back in the sunken, bruised eyes.

"Let me down, Sora. I want to give him exactly what he deserves."

I nodded and gently placed him on his feet, steadying him as he wobbled unsurely on the kaleidoscope ground. Then he shared a look with both Riku and I. Ven stepped forward and said, "We're here to help you in any way Prince!"

Ahiro nodded, calling out his weapon and standing at the ready. The battle was on.

* * *

a/n: EPIC~NESS!!!!!!! How do you do it?!

a/n2: *mutters* With you cracking a whip over my head.

a/n: Hush, you silly girl. Well, I can't wait for them to hook up!!! When's it gonna happen, huh?!

a/n2:...

a/n: You're SO cruel!!!! p.p

a/n2: Okay, so I'll put up another chappie soon. And it'll be long so I can get you guys caught up.

a/n: Caught up...?

a/n2: Yeah.

a/n: O.o


	17. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: We do not own KH.

a/n2: As promised, here it is: One gigantic chappie that has been long over due. Enjoy my friends.

* * *

Ahiro's POV:

Alright Nightmare…come and get me. I thought as I stood in anticipation, surrounded by my friends. My entire body was burning with pain, but I ignored it. I am not weak. I had Sora back. That's all that matters. Besides…one should learn to do without anything one can. I snuck a glance over at Sora and smiled; _but I should find it very hard to do without you again_.

So this time, it's my turn to protect him, and Riku, and all the others!

I let loose a cry and bolted forward, everyone following close behind. The creature that was once Nightmare howled as it began to creak toward us on unsteady limbs. He was surprisingly agile, despite his appearance. Before we could come near it, it had thrown the full weight of its upper body forward and begun a crooked somersault over our heads.

"What the…?" I breathed, coming to a standstill. That was a mistake. Using his jelly-like legs, he swung back and knocked Riku, Terra and I into the ground a few yards away, leaving Aqua, Sora, and Ven to fend alone while we caught up.

Sora cast Slow on it to buy time, but it was like the darkness that made up Nightmares body absorbed his magic, and was only effective for a short while. I made my way as fast as I could to the front and used a blizzard spell. Not very effective, but at least it gave us time to recuperate. Terra waved us over to the side-lines and gasped, "We've gotta get someone up where its head should be!"

We all looked to the creature, slowly turning to face us. The face that starred back was like something out of a horror film; dripping black teeth in a wide-set mouth covering most of its face, grinning evilly. What struck me as ironic was that Sora didn't get scared like he would back home. He instead stepped in front of me and made ready.

The fight lasted for endless hours. It felt like we weren't making any progress. Finally, however, we did manage to bring him to his knees in a daze. We were winning, I thought gleefully. My smile was wiped from my face, though when I watched a jet of darkness shoot out from Nightmare's body, engulfing Riku for a moment as a last resort attack. I ran to his side and saw he was momentarily frozen by the power. I cast heal on him and stood by defending him until he regained motor functions. I saw Ven try to block the same attack with his keyblade, but it was no use. Ven was also frozen.

That's when I saw bubbles blooming out from its side, preparing to strike an unsuspecting Aqua. I cried out and dived in front of the stream of darkness. I shut my eyes tightly, but when nothing happened I opened them and saw that the undulating mass of black had stopped just before it reached me. I was emitting some sort of light. Almost like a shield. I realized this power had to be coming from my inheritance as the Prince of Heart.

After another hour or so, I could visibly see Nightmare weakening. We were close. My keyblade vibrated with life under my fingers, just like Sora's had when he let me hold it back in his living room. That felt like an eternity ago.

Suddenly, I felt someone come up beside me. I looked and saw Sora was grinning down at me, slightly breathless. I couldn't help but smile back, trying desperately to keep my arm steady and not show my injuries. Another presence came up on my other side. Aqua and Ven. Then Riku and Terra. We all knew what to do.

"Together?" I asked quietly, facing the monster in front of us.

They all nodded, and pointed their keyblades alongside mine. There was a bright light that grew suddenly, and all was still. Not a sound was made. And then the light rocketed toward Nightmare, right where his heart should be and pierced its skin. The light was swallowed for a moment, and I thought it hadn't worked, but then I saw it was expanding like a balloon. It cried out in agony, and then all of a sudden it was cut off by its own body ripping open.

We did it!

I smiled dreamily and whispered, "Thank goodness…"

My legs suddenly fell out from beneath me and I crumpled to the ground face-first.

_Fulfill their destinies…_

When I came to I found that I was surrounded by everyone, happily grinning. Someone had cast a healing spell. I sat bolt upright, and searched out the person I wanted with my eyes. Everyone stared in confusion as Terra and I shared a look. I mumbled, "When were you going to tell everyone…?"

He looked away in shame and said, "Soon."

"What's going on Terra?" Ven asked worriedly, taking a step toward him.

Terra shook his head and kept his distance, stopping everyone in their tracks. He began with, "I'm sorry I kept this from you…I thought this was the only way…"

Confusion and fear ran through everyone. He continued, "The King…found me right after we had defeated Master Xehanort. He told me what was happening to me, and what would happen to the worlds."

Tears were welling up in my eyes, but I forced them back. Crying wouldn't help.

"Before Xehanort died, he infused a part of himself in me, filling my heart with darkness. He'll take over soon…it's a matter of time, now."

"You're joking, right?" Ven asked hastily, his voice quivering. "There's no way!"

Terra just looked at him sadly and shook his head. He muttered, "It's been decided. It's my destiny. The King found out everything when he discovered a secret study hidden deep in the underground of Radiant Garden."

"When the darkness spreads…his heart will be lost to darkness. The worlds will fall into chaos." I said, my tears barely holding on to my lashes. I gripped my throbbing arm tighter.

"We can save him, right, Prince?!" Aqua asked suddenly. She strode up and knelt by my side, gripping my shoulder tightly. I winced, but didn't say anything. Then I turned my head and gazed into her eyes sadly.

"You're lying." She said simply.

"I wish…I was…" I said, suddenly going lightheaded. I felt all my strength leave me, and I fell back, my head hitting the ground.

I could hear the others crying out, but I couldn't process the sounds properly. Terra's darkness was growing much faster than I thought. It was draining me. When I came to my senses, I was being carried by someone trudging along slowly. I groaned as I felt my body convulse with the effort of trying to move. Sora came into sight just then, gazing at me worriedly. His lips were moving, but I couldn't distinguish what he was trying to say. Everything was still hazy. I ended up just staring blankly at him.

He said something else, and the person carrying me stopped. I was then helped down to a lying position, and saw Riku's questioning gaze. He'd been the one carrying me, then. He was checking my arms, I noticed, and noticed for the first time the wounds that had been causing me so much pain. Spiral burns ran up my skin. What was that from? Had that been when I was unconscious and Nightmare had had control over me?

I groaned again, and Riku stilled his hands. He leaned over me and tried asking me something, but the sounds were still too garbled. Ven came into sight now, a wound on his head bleeding slightly. He waved his keyblade and used the last of his MP on me. I felt better. I could hear them finally.

"Can you hear me, now?" Sora asked worriedly.

I nodded, lifting a hand to my head in agony. I muttered, "Its Xehanort's power…it's getting stronger now that it has the part that was in Nightmare."

Everyone was silent. Terra asked from out of eye sight, "How are we supposed to get out of this place? And how do we make sure my powers are stopped?"

Shamefully I looked at the ground. How could I tell them, now? Sora seemed to notice my dark mood and asked cautiously, "Ahiro…what is it?"

I started, and gazed into his eyes, feeling the tears fill them. I blinked, letting them fall. Unfazed, I said, "That's…"

Everyone was staring at me in expectant silence, even when the words stuck in my throat. They waited. Finally I was able to choke out, "Terra…you have been keeping…him, under control very well. But, I'm sorry to say that it can't last."

Terra had stiffened, his fists clenching. I continued, "Your heart will eventually turn black and become evil. Terra…you will become…Ansem."

Everyone grew deathly quiet. Sora gazed at me disbelievingly, while the others were too shocked to have any emotions at all. Terra just stood with his head bowed.

"I can't stop this from happening. And I know that's why you searched me out. But it just can't be."

He was quiet for a moment, his fists clenching and unclenching. He then asked in a whisper, "How can the worlds be saved?"

I couldn't believe it. He accepted his fate. His eyes slowly came up to stare into my own and he repeated, "How can they be saved?"

Again I was ashamed. I broke away and turned my back on them. I whispered, "Aqua and Ven…you both have a part in this. You were meant to disappear along with Terra. That's what the keyblade warriors are supposed to do. When Terra becomes Ansem…things will happen that require you to…"

I swallowed hard. No one spoke behind me however, so I was able to pause and gather myself together before continuing.

"This is your destiny. Your bodies will be surrendered to darkness, but not your hearts. Not as long as I can do something about it."

I turned and saw their confused faces.

"Aqua, you were meant to guard Kairi. Ven, you were meant to guard Sora. Terra, you were meant to guard Riku. In order to do this, you must become nobodies. You are the keys to saving them in the future."

I don't think they believed me. Aqua just scoffed and said, "There's no way that'll happen."

Ven looked horrified.

I shook my head sadly, the tears still coursing down my face and said, "It's true. You were meant to do this. To start is to end; this is how the story unfolds…birth by sleep."

"Shut up!" Aqua cried. "I don't believe you! Our hearts are ours!"

I was shaking with the effort of not breaking down. This needed to be done, no matter how much I didn't want it to. I watched as Terra strode over to his friends and leaned in close saying softly, "Please…this is something that has to be done. It's our destinies."

He suddenly looked to me and said, "There's only one way isn't there…?"

_Please don't depend on me, just erase me…friend._

I nodded. If this didn't happen, then all the worlds would be doomed. It wasn't fair. No one deserved to have this kind of destiny. But no way would I let them suffer.

"You have to understand, that you won't be in your bodies any longer, but your hearts will still be yours. Your essences will be used in the future to help save Sora, Kairi, and Riku, but you will always be together in Kingdom Hearts. You are-" I called out, a violent cough interrupting me.

Sora moved to hold me, but I motioned for him to not touch me. When I'd gained enough breath, I said, "You won't disappear. Believe me...if there was any way to change this, I would. The only thing I can do for you is put your hearts and memories in a place where no one can touch them."

Silence.

I hated myself.

"…we'll be together?" Terra asked his voice faint. "We'll be ourselves…forever?"

I nodded.

He turned to look at his best friends and communicated silently with his eyes. It was painful for all of us. Finally Terra took in a shuddering breath and said, "Alright…"

With downcast eyes, I walked forward, every part of my body stabbing with pain. Terra turned and said shakily, "I don't mind…being erased. It's better than seeing myself become evil. I don't want to be around to see that. And I don't want that for you guys either…and I know that sounds selfish, but…"

The others grinned sadly and moved to embrace each other. I stopped short and watched as this unfolded. It _would_ be alright, I kept telling myself forcibly, over and over again. For their sakes, it _will_ be.

Sora's POV:

I watched as the scene unfolded. These people…were preparing for their destined futures. A pang of guilt ran through me as I watched them embrace. When they pulled away, Ven caught my eye and strode over to me. We stood facing each other for a moment.

"We were connected all along…" Ven laughed.

I smiled sadly and said, "I'm glad I got to meet you…"

"Me too…" he whispered. "I know it'll be alright, though. I see you now and know that my heart is where it truly belongs."

I drew him in for a hug, feeling my heart skip a beat as we connected. That's right, I thought as I felt his body press against mine, he saved me. He _is_ me. Ahiro and Ven were right. It would be okay.

"Bye…" Ven whispered, giving one last squeeze before stepping away. He didn't look back.

"Bye."

I watched as the three of them stood side-by-side once again, entwining their fingers. Aqua leaned in to Ven and whispered something. His mouth fell open. Terra just smirked. Ven finally collected himself enough to lean back to her and peck her on the cheek affectionately.

Ahiro suddenly stepped forward, raising his keyblade. They were frozen in that moment for a second or two, and then he waved his keyblade once again, a glittering light bursting from it. It washed over the three of them, and slowly…their bodies started disappearing into a cloud of silver-white petals, floating on an invisible wind out of sight.

It was just Riku, Ahiro, and I in this realm, now. After the others were sent away, Ahiro collapsed. I quickly ran up and with the help of Riku, got him in a more comfortable lying position and sat down next to him. I was still not used to the others being gone. I kept expecting Aqua to suddenly come up, mad about something I did or said. Or Ven and me to exchange a glance that only we knew what it meant. or Terra patting me on the back affectionately. I swallowed the lump in my throat and looked at Ahiro, resting fretfully.

He looked so different. I brushed his bangs away from his sunken eyes and noticed that he looked older. I suddenly realized that if Ahiro hadn't gone through with such a hard task, then I wouldn't be here. He saved my life.

"He did it…" Riku suddenly mumbled, wrapping his arms loosely around a drawn up knee.

"Yeah…" I sighed, stroking Ahiro's hair softly.

It was a few hours before I woke up from my nap. I sat up stiffly, feeling everything groan in protest at my movements. I looked around and saw Ahrio sitting up a little ways away. I called over, "Did you sleep long enough? You need rest you know."

He started and smiled, "I couldn't…"

I felt so sorry for him. I would never pity him, because that's the last thing he wanted. It would only hurt him more. Dismally, I gazed after him as he turned his head away from me to look into the unending distance. I rooted around in a pocket after a thought struck me and pulled out water. I walked up to him and pressed it into his hands, commanding softly, "Drink…"

He did thankfully. And after he'd finished downing half of it, he whispered, "You kept your promise…"

My eyes widened slightly.

"Sora…I don't know how I can ever tell you how much that meant to me."

I slipped a deft arm over his shoulder and muttered, "I know. It's alright."

He turned his head slowly, his eyes never meeting mine. I held my breath as his head bumped softly against my chest. After a few moments, I could feel his tears dampening my shirt, and his hands gripping my sides. I just pulled him in tighter. My mom always told me: The tears that heal are also the tears that scald and scourge.

It'll be alright, soon…

While waiting for Riku to wake up, Ahiro and I sat in silence, still unable to believe all that has happened. I wanted so badly to talk to him about…everything, but I couldn't bring myself to break the peace. I didn't want to hurt him. Soon, though. Maybe when Ahiro regains his strength and we're home again.

"How are you guys feeling?" Riku mumbled sleepily from behind us, making me jump slightly.

He joined; sitting on Ahiro's other side. It was so quiet in this place that everything seemed to echo, even my breathing.

"I…think I can get us back, now." Ahiro said.

"You sure? Don't strain yourself." I said hastily.

He shook his head and easily stood up. Riku and I followed suit while Ahiro materialized his keyblade and pointed it up. A thin stream of light came out the tip and soared through the din. It went so high, that I couldn't see where it stopped. But, slowly, I watched as a patch of white appeared, slowly spreading to every corner. No longer was it a swirling kaleidoscope, but pure white.

I blinked, the change in lighting hurting my eyes. When I looked back to the others, however, my worst fears were realized. Riku saw too. We both stood gaping at where Ahiro had been standing. He had disappeared. What happened?

"Ahiro!" I cried. Unlike the last room, my voice didn't carry at all. It felt like it was stopped as soon as it left my mouth. I stood defeated, my fears eating my insides. I'd only just gotten him back…

"_Do not fret young keybearer._"

That was Ahiro's voice! But…that wasn't him. I exchanged a worried glance with Riku and listened.

"_You have fulfilled your destiny. The Prince of Heart has been returned. Now all the worlds can be in eternal peace._"

"Where are you?!" I called desperately.

"_You are to move on and protect the worlds._" The voice continued, ignoring my cries. "_The Prince must stay in Kingdom Hearts and fulfill his Destiny._"

"No!" both Riku and I burst out.

My senses had all gone numb. I wanted to hit something, but there wasn't anything here. I wanted to run, but I wouldn't get anywhere. All I could do was drop to my knees in disbelief. Tears escaped and I said thickly, "He belongs with us! He belongs in Destiny Islands!"

There was no reply. I was at a loss.

"_Good luck…_" Ahiro's voice said softly.

"Wait-!" I started, but I was cut off as I was engulfed in an even brighter white light than the one filling the room. The next thing I knew, I was lying on my back staring up at the stars in disbelief. Aside from the rush of waves against the sand and laughter in the distance, it was silent. I sat up slowly, still unsure of what just happened. We were back on the play island. Back home. I sought out Riku and noticed him sitting a little ways around the blazing campfire. We locked eyes through the flames.

We were back in our own time again. Like nothing ever happened.

Ahiro's POV:

I was all alone on a beach, the sun blazing, warming the sand beneath my bare feet. I looked around, squinting slightly, unsure of what had happened. I had made the dream of going back to Destiny Islands with Sora and Riku, but I was alone on an unfamiliar beach instead.

"You're in Kingdom Hearts…" that mysterious voice from so long ago suddenly said from behind me.

I turned and caught sight of the familiar black cloaked figure. I asked in a small voice, "Where're Sora and Riku?"

He didn't answer. He just studied me thoughtfully.

"Ahiro…?" a sweet clear voice rang out to my left. It was a blonde haired girl that looked vaguely familiar.

"Ahiro…"

I turned to the last voice and saw that Terra was there, his eyes an intense gold, rather than the cool brown they usually were, glowing out from shadowed sockets. His hair wasn't the same color anymore either. It was a silver white. I gazed in wonder at all of them. Then cautiously I asked, "Terra…? Aqua…? Ven…?"

They all shook their heads. The cloaked figure came closer, removing his hood as he went. When I caught sight of his face, I saw that it was Ven, but…something was different. He was no longer carefree and energetic like Sora, but brooding and introverted. No wonder I didn't recognize his voice…it was someone else in front of me.

"We are what will be." He said solemnly, motioning to himself and the others. "Ansem, Namine, and Roxas."

"The ones you speak of…their hearts and memories are in a safe place. Don't worry. They're happy." Namine said softly.

I smiled gratefully.

"I am now going to fulfill my Destiny." Ansem said, sliding effortlessly into a swirling black portal.

"I must wait a little longer." Namine said sweetly, smiling sadly. "And then I too will fulfill my Destiny."

She disappeared in a flash of blinding white light.

"See ya…" said Roxas. I knew what misfortunes awaited him, but held myself back from reaching out to him. He was gone before I could reply.

My final goodbye before heading home, I thought as I called out my keyblade. I thought hard about Destiny Islands, and then waved my keyblade. Nothing happened. I opened my eyes questioningly, and then tried again. Nothing.

"_Sorry, my Prince…_" hundreds of voices called. "_…but you cannot leave._"

"What?" I asked, taking a few stunned steps back, feeling the water hitting my ankles.

"_When your mother left here, she had been happy, and look at what happened to her…we can't afford letting the same happen to you._"

"You don't understand! I belong there! I want to go home!" I cried, dropping to my knees and beating the ground with my fists.

It was no use. No matter how much I cried after that, it wouldn't let me leave. I slowly started feeling like my life was over. This was worse than dying. I never got to tell Sora about my feelings, no matter how conflicting they were, he'd understand.

"_Don't worry, little Prince. You are doing the right thing._"

I didn't care after a while. I just lay in the sand and waited. Hoping death would find me in here. I didn't speak. I didn't sleep. I didn't think. I didn't move. I couldn't.

"_Please, dear Prince. You're being irrational._"

"Shut up…" I muttered, blinking blearily up at the never changing sky. Since I lost the will to live I could thankfully feel my life draining from my body. Weakly, I raised a hand up to rub at my eyes. I could feel how tired they were.

"Ahiro…"

I moved my hand slowly, turning my head to look in the direction of this voice. My heart thudded dully against my rib cage as I recognized who it was. I croaked, "Sora?"

"Be strong."

I blinked. How could I, when there wasn't any hope left? I whimpered, unable to produce any tears. My hallucination materialized next to me, his outline hazy. I squinted, trying to get a better look at him.

"_No. Get away from him. He doesn't belong with you._"

I barely registered anything besides the warm arms that wrapped around my slight frame. I was so happy.

* * *

a/n2: See you in the next...


	18. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: We do not own KH.

a/n: Oh my gosh, so this story is almost over right?

a/n2: You didn't like it?

a/n: No, I loved it! This was like my baby!! I'm just sad/excited to see what the end is gonna be like.

a/n2: Yeah, almost over with. I sorta lost my writing juice at the end, but I had some good conversations with Radical8, and I managed to get everything down. There's even going to be a shmex chappie.

a/n: Oooohhh!! YES!!

a/n2: Perv..."

a/n: It's okay. You're one too.

a/n2: *shrugs* I suppose so.

a/n: Happy Readings!!!

* * *

Sora's POV:

I was sitting in my usual spot on the play island, again. It's been two weeks now, and still no sign of Ahiro. Summer vacation would be over in another couple of weeks. I couldn't imagine doing another year of school without him. I drew my knees in closer to my chest, telling myself to calm down. The others were here too. I didn't want to burst into tears around them. They thought that he had been called away on family matters.

Riku and I hadn't talked much since we got back, but both of us understood each other's feelings. It was too hard. I didn't want to be strong anymore.

A light breeze had picked up as the sun set, the sounds of the other's voices in the distance drifting over to me.

I had been so close. My promise was still unfulfilled and it was killing me.

"Sora…?" someone asked above me, casting their shadow across my face.

I looked up and saw Tidus standing nervously in front of me. I hadn't even heard him come up the dock to where I sat. I stared blankly up at him.

"Um…I was wondering if you had any way of contacting Ahiro." He muttered embarrassedly. "I…really wanted to talk with him about something, uh…personal."

I couldn't even stop the anger from billowing up. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Riku making his way over to us, sensing the danger in the encounter. I clenched my fists in an attempt to stop myself from tackling him. Instead, I said through gritted teeth, "No."

"Oh, well…can I say something?" he asked.

I nodded curtly and he continued, "…do you like Ahiro, too?"

My head snapped up and all feeling was replaced with a numb sensation. His eyes bore into my own, and I knew he found the answer, because he suddenly started walking away, passing Riku on the stairs.

He didn't say anything as he stopped next to me. We just watched as the sun slowly descended below the horizon. Finally he mumbled, "The others are leaving."

I made a noise, and he seemed to understand. He sighed, patting me on the back as he turned to join the others heading home. I didn't relax until the last boat had disappeared from view and the stars were out. I fell back, resting my head on my hands and gazing up at the endless sky.

How could I find Kingdom Hearts? It was impossible.

A few hours later, I woke to find myself still on the dock, but something was wrong. I immediately jumped to my feet and prepared to battle, my keyblade materializing into my hand in a bright flash. My eyes widened, however as my eyes fell upon a white light. I jumped from the dock and went running for it, the cool salt water splashing up around me as I went. It floated away from me, darting here and there, leading me further into the island. Finally, I saw it disappear into the little entrance that led to the secret cave.

I stopped for a moment, wondering if this was a good idea. Then I shook my head, and ducked in. When I reached the center of the cave, I saw that the light had disappeared. Had I finally started hallucinating? I took a couple more steps, my gaze falling upon the door with no handle embedded in the cold stone.

Suddenly, hundreds of voices began to whisper. What they were saying, I couldn't make out, but when they stopped, the door burst open to reveal a blindingly white light. I threw my hands up to shield my eyes, and squinted into the glow. Then I saw it. Three figures carrying a fourth slowly came into focus. My jaw dropped when I realized who the people were.

"Terra! Aqua! Ven!"

I saw them smile as they stepped from the vortex, a halo of white light surrounding them as they neared. Ven nodded to the person in their hands and that's when I saw him. Ahiro. He was unconscious, and looked like he was on the brink of death. What happened to him?

I ran forward, taking him up into my own arms bridal style. I looked to them and said, "Thank you…"

They just smiled and waved, disappearing back into the white swirling mass. When it had disappeared, it was very dark. I had to bend a little to actually make out Ahiro's face through the shadows.

"Ahiro…" I whispered soothingly, jostling him in my arms slightly in the hopes of waking him up.

"Mn…Sora?" he asked in a scratchy voice. When he caught sight of me, he smiled happily. "I knew you'd save me…"

He closed his eyes once again, and grew slack. I panicked for a moment, but when I noticed him breathing I relaxed. I have to get him home.

Ahiro's POV:

Sunlight was streaming in through the open windows, birds chirping in celebration of such a beautiful day. I screwed my eyes up against stinging rays of light and groaned as I attempted to turn away. The sheets rustled as I curled my legs in closer to my body. I could smell freshly made pancakes coming from the door that had been left slightly ajar, as well as coffee. I smiled as I nuzzled the soft pillow I was lying on.

My eyes snapped open.

This had to be a dream. I nearly fainted when I saw where I was. I was lying on Sora's bed, in Sora's house, with Sora just downstairs. Slowly, I acclimated myself into an upright position. Glancing at the clock I saw that it was ten in the morning. Cautiously, I stood up, pinching myself as I went. It hurt.

Tears welled up in my eyes and I couldn't stop myself from crying with relief. I heard the sound of hurried footsteps coming up the stairs, but didn't care who saw me like this. I continued sobbing into my hands until I heard a familiar voice say softly, "Welcome home."

I raised my head and saw Sora in the doorway, his smile lighting up his face. I hiccupped and said densely, "Oh, Sora…"

I closed the space between us and buried my head in his chest, letting all the tears fall. He just held me, cooing gently as he stroked my hair. After a good thirty minutes of non-stop crying, I was able to pry myself from him.

"Here, lie down…" he muttered, leading me carefully back to the bed.

Once I was settled, I clutched his hand and asked, "How did you…?"

He shrugged and said, "I'm not sure myself. There was this light...and then all of a sudden, you were carried out to me by Ven, Aqua, and Terra."

I stared up at him for a moment. Then I whispered disbelievingly, "They saved me…after what I did to them?"

"You didn't do it to them." Sora said firmly, squeezing my hand. "Kingdom Hearts did."

I nodded, suddenly feeling very light headed. Sora told me to get some more rest, while he finished making some food for me. I was surprised when he gave me a drink instead of the pancakes that smelled so good. I gazed at it questioningly. To answer my look, he just laughed and said, "Sorry. You're not allowed to eat anything too big for a while. Doctor's orders."

I grimaced and looked down at the greenish substance in the cup. Taking up the straw, I stirred it around a bit before taking a sip. It wasn't bad, just a little bitter. I shuddered as I swallowed and gave Sora a look.

"Hey, it was either those things for a week, or stay in the hospital."

"I was in the hospital?" I asked incredulously.

"Yeah, a few days, actually. I couldn't heal you all the way with my magic, and when I got you to the hospital, they said you had a fever and were suffering from dehydration. You were pretty out of it." He explained, coaxing the drink back to my attention.

I took another sip and asked worriedly, "Did I say anything?"

"Nothing very profound. Mostly we couldn't make it out. And don't worry; you didn't mention anything about Kingdom Hearts or anything." He said reassuringly. "Once you quieted down, they let me take you home to care for you."

That wasn't what I was really worried about, but I was glad anyway. I blushed and mumbled, "Thank you…"

He stood up and called over his shoulder as he went to the door, "Megumi and some of the others said they'd be dropping by to check on you. I made them breakfast."

"Really?!" I asked, looking over at Sora who'd stopped by the doorframe.

"Yeah, they're going to be really happy when they see you're okay. I told them that you went away because of family problems, and you had to come back because you'd gotten sick."

I grinned and thanked him again before he disappeared back downstairs. I leaned back onto the pillows and sighed. I was home again. Finally.

Summer vacation was over. The last weeks seemed to flow by quickly, despite my being in bed for most of it. Everyone from our class came to visit; Megumi especially. Now it was time for my second year of High School.

"Hurry up, or we'll be late!" I called up the stairs.

There was a loud bang and a yelp, then Sora called back, "One sec! I can't find my other shoe!"

I rolled my eyes and grinned, grabbing both our lunches from the kitchen as I passed by it to the front door. He never changes.

As I opened the door, I noticed Riku's car sitting idling by the sidewalk. He waved as he caught sight of me. I waved back, giving him the signal to wait a little longer. He rolled his eyes too. Sora came crashing down the stairs just then, still trying to stuff school supplies into his backpack. I snorted and he glared up at me as he slung it over his shoulder haphazardly.

I stepped out into the overgrown garden, making my way along the path to the gate at the end, calling back, "If we're late, I'm blaming it all on you!"

"Shut up!" was his muffled come-back.

He came sprinting down after me, tugging on his shoes as he went. I opened the gate, stepped aside, and held out a spare piece of toast for him. He snatched it out of my hand as he passed through.

"Come on! We've only got a few minutes left!" Riku said.

"Yeah, yeah! We're coming already!" Sora said annoyed, wrenching open the door to the passenger seat.

I jogged up and jumped into the back, settling in as Sora and Riku argued about tardiness. I smiled, my heart happily beating as we went along.

The first day was slightly boring. Mostly it was the teachers introducing themselves and going over curriculum. Only in math did we have a review test. It was over pretty painlessly. Sora, Riku, and I were heading up to the park after school, so I had something to daydream about while I zoned out.

After the last bell rang, and we had cleaned up the classroom, I went down by the front doors and waited for Sora and Riku to catch up. One of the teachers wanted to talk to them about Kendo practice the next day since they were the captains. It was a nice day out, perfect for sitting in the shade of a tree. I closed my eyes and turned my head to catch the heat from the sun.

"Ahiro?" someone asked.

I opened my eyes and was met with the cautionary gaze of Tidus. He had graduated, so that's why I didn't see him at all today. I felt my heart still for a moment.

"Hey…" I said, holing a hand up to shield my eyes so I could get a better look at him. "What's up?"

"Um…I just wanted…" he muttered, his ears turning a faint pink.

He cleared his throat and started again, giving a small laugh, "I just wanted to see how you were doing. Kankuro told me you had gotten pretty sick when you went away."

"Oh, yeah…I feel better, now."

"That's good." He said eagerly. We fell into an awkward silence for a few seconds. But then he took a bold step closer and said seriously, "Ahiro…I wanted to tell you that I'm really sorry about what I did to you."

He was really close, now. I could smell his shampoo. My heart thumped painfully against my ribcage, but I fixed my gaze on him and saw that his eyes were filled with remorse and regret. He continued, "I didn't mean it to come out like what you heard. I really did care for you…a lot. I think I might have even loved you. I realize what I've lost, now. And, I deserve all this sadness and regret I feel."

Shyly, he took up my hand and clutched it tightly. My heart was beating wildly, now. He muttered, leaning in closer, "I was wondering…if you could find it in your heart to forgive me. Would you consider taking me back?"

The air seemed to stick in my throat. I couldn't even think for a few seconds. But then a sudden calm washed over me. I smiled as I looked up into his hopeful eyes and said gently, "I'm sorry, Tidus…I like someone else."

His face fell for a split second, but was quickly replaced with a sad smile. He moved away and muttered, "I understand…"

He gave a little wave, put his hands in his pockets and started heading for the parking lot. He turned after a few paces and called, "I won't give up!"

I just stared after as he turned back, his golden hair catching every ray of sunlight. I felt someone come up next to me and started when I heard Sora's voice.

"I never thought he'd actually pluck up the courage to ask you out again."

I just shrugged and said, "Me either. I've moved on already, anyways. I like someone else."

"W-what?!" Sora cried out.

I just smirked and asked, "Jealous?"

"N-no! No way!"

I kept pestering him about it until Riku showed up, and by that time, he was bright red. We then headed on our way to the park. It was weird not having to tutor them anymore. But they told me that I should join a club to keep myself busy. I was thinking about the archery club, or even drawing. Two completely different areas, but I'd always been curious.

"So…this weekend, my mom wants you guys up for dinner at my house." Riku said, turning a page in his book.

I glanced up from my studies and squinted against the sun to get a good look at him. Sora said, "Cool! Your mom is the best cook I know!"

"We'll be there!" I chimed in happily.

It was another perfect day in Destiny Islands. I gazed out over the grassy lawns and over the tops of the trees into the distance and saw the clouds off in the distance filling a small corner of the blue sky. Summer was coming to its last days.

Riku suddenly said, "Oh, I just remembered an appointment I have! I gotta go. Do you guys think you can get back okay?"

He stood up, gazing at us worriedly. I just waved him on and said, "A little walk won't kill us."

He hesitated a moment before nodding and heading off. I looked to Sora and said curiously, "He seems to be even more protective than usual lately."

"Yeah…" he muttered. "But that's only because he cares about…us."

He was right. I suppose Riku did have a reason to worry.

I lowered my book from my scanning gaze and looked out again at the sky, getting lost in the infinite space. Soon, I had fallen asleep, my book slipping off my lap as I dreamt. When I woke up, I found to my horror that I was being carried. I started and threw the person holding me off balance, his chocolate hair tickling my nose. I spluttered, "What the hell?! Put me down!"

"Alright, alright! Stop it, you're gonna make both of us fall!!"

I hurriedly clambered down, a blush burning my cheeks as I brushed myself off. Sora gazed at me, slightly agitated, and sighed. He then handed me my backpack and said carelessly, "Whatever…you were starting to get heavy anyways."

An angry tick developed above my eye and I growled, punching him, "What the hell is that supposed to mean?!"

"Ah! Nothing! I was just saying!" he cried, throwing his hands up to shield himself from more blows, laughter in his voice. "It was getting cold out, that's why I decided to start for home, but you were too out of it, so I carried you!"

"Oh…" I said, stilling my fist. "Thanks."

He just grinned and put an arm around my shoulder. I immediately tensed and made to move away, but stopped myself. Don't be so jumpy. It's just a friendly gesture.

If only it wasn't…I thought glumly, immediately falling into a mood. I looked above and saw that rain clouds had closed in during the time I slept. Great timing. How cliché. I bowed my head and watched my feet next to Sora's as we went along silently. It was getting colder, now. I was glad he was nearby.

Right on cue, the rain started to fall. I yelped a little when I felt a drop land on my neck and slide down my back. I shivered slightly. Sora cried out too, but he started jogging off, trying to tug me along. I pulled back, though. He gazed at me questioningly and I said, "If you run in the rain, you get wetter."

He stared at me for a moment, then shook his head amusedly and muttered, "Only you would know that…"

I blushed and took my sweater off, offering it to him as partial protection. He smiled and came back to stand next to me, taking the sweater so he could hold it over both of us. We then proceeded to walk back home. We weren't too far away.

Only the hush of the rain hitting the pavement filled the silence. I was glad there was something to break it, but it still couldn't erase the slightly uneasy feeling I got when I was close to Sora. After a few minutes of walking, Sora cleared his throat unexpectedly and asked, "Ne…Ahiro? Um…who _is_ it that you like?"

"What?!"

"You know…you said you liked someone before, so…" he muttered softly, not meeting my eyes.

I flushed and attempted to come up with a different answer other than, "Oh, you're the one I like!"

When I didn't say anything right away, he lifted his gaze finally and said in a joking manner, "Don't worry! I'm your best friend; we're supposed to talk about stuff like this!"

I nodded, but still didn't say anything. I couldn't bring myself to do it. What if he hates me after? I wouldn't be able to handle the rejection after all we've been through. But still, the words stuck in my throat.

We were just coming up the walkway of his house, the plants rustling as droplets hit their leaves. I brushed past them, soaking the front of my shirt as I pressed ahead. I ducked out from under the sweater to get to the door. Sora was prepared for me. He jumped ahead and stood in front of my escape route. I was soaked, now, my hair sticking to my face.

I reached up and brushed my bangs out of my face, avoiding his gaze, and mumbled, "Sora, It's raining…"

"I know that." He huffed sadly. "C'mon Ahiro, don't you trust me? You know you can tell me anything!"

_Just not this_, I thought bitterly.

I tried pushing past him, but he held me fast. Why was this so hard?! Not even a whisper of my true feelings could escape from my lips.

"It's not as easy as you make it sound!" I said in a slightly raised voice, struggling to reach the door.

"Why's that?! I'll always have your back! I just wanna know!"

"It's none of your concern!" I cried out, finally feeling my hysteria get the better of me. I pushed him, and he stumbled, hitting his head lightly on the door. I gasped, and stood completely frozen as he rubbed the back of his head, his eyes downcast.

"I'm sorry…" he whispered hoarsely. "I didn't mean to pry. I…"

"Sora, wait-" I choked out, moving to put my arm around him.

He shook his head, still not looking at me. I recoiled slightly, feeling my heart burn and shrivel. He muttered as he opened the door and entered, "You'll catch a cold if you stay out there…"

I was so ashamed. Why couldn't I just say it?! Or at least make up someone! I watched in horror as he slowly made his way into the house, finally disappearing into the dark of the shadows. I still stood, feeling like the biggest ass-hole alive. I saw a light turn on on the second floor. I couldn't take it. I couldn't lie to Sora.

I turned and ran, not even knowing what exactly I was doing. My mind kept repeating: _It's over. You've hurt him too badly. It's over. It's over…_

"Stupid!" I cried, hot tears coursing down my cheeks. "Stupid! Such an idiot!"

When my lungs couldn't sustain me running any longer, I came to a stop, breathing heavily while leaning against the trunk of a tree. When I had enough energy to look around, I found that I was near Riku's house. Maybe he'd let me spend the night.

I walked slowly to his house, and knocked on the front door. I could hear it echoing in the great house while I stood there, making a puddle on the welcome mat. Finally, after a few minutes I tried again. This time I could hear other things in the house moving. And after a few more minutes, the door opened.

When Riku caught sight of me he said worriedly, "Sora called a little bit ago. He said you'd run away. Are you alright?"

I sniffled and asked quietly, "Could I spend the night?"

His eyes widened for a moment, as he nodded wordlessly, motioning for me to get in. I thanked him softly and entered. The sound of water dripping on the marble floor ringing as I stood there waiting for him to lock up. Once he was done, he beckoned me to follow him, and we went to his room.

The dark halls were eerie as we crept through the dark passageways. I was glad when we got to his room. It was familiar and warm. I started shivering, realizing just how soaked-through I was. Riku noticed too, because he went to his dresser and threw some sweatpants and a t-shirt at me.

Then he disappeared into his bathroom while I changed. When I was in the slightly too big clothes, I called for him to say that it was alright. He came in slowly; apparently the lack of sleep was affecting him. He tossed a towel at me and grunted, making a beeline for the bed. He flopped down and sighed, muttering into the pillows, "We can share tonight…"

I nodded, and climbed in next to him, feeling his warmth engulf my body immediately. I snuggled in closer and sighed contently.

"Did you and Sora have a fight?" Riku asked softly, his eyes still closed.

"Yeah…"

He was silent for a moment, and just when I thought he had fallen asleep, he muttered, "I'll talk with him tomorrow…"

"Thank you."

I fell asleep quickly after that. However, it wasn't anywhere near as peaceful as I'd hoped. The nightmare pulled me in and placed me on the play island. I looked around wildly, but saw no one was there. Only the sound of a distant whisper reached my ears. It called my name.

"_Where are you?_" I cried, searching desperately for its source.

It grew louder, and I could finally pinpoint it coming from the secret cave. I jogged to it and quickly scrambled through the low entrance into the chamber. There I saw that the door to Kingdom Hearts was still open. It was calling to me; beckoning me back into its suffocating embrace. I flinched when I felt an unknown force pull me in its direction. I didn't want to go!

_Seal it…_

My eyes widened and I immediately materialized my keyblade. Forcing my legs to plant themselves firmly on the ground, I pointed my weapon at the door. The force grew stronger, to the point of pain, but I held fast. Beads of sweat developed on my brow as time passed. I could feel my muscles growing weaker.

"_It's no use Prince. You are needed here, where you belong…_" the many voices of Kingdom Hearts crooned. "_Your destiny awaits you…_"

Suddenly the power pulling against me grew, and I felt my hold on the ground disappear. I only had enough time to cry out Sora's name before I was sucked into the realm of Kingdom Hearts, the door shutting soundly behind me.

"Ahiro, wake up! It's only a nightmare! Wake up!" Riku called above me, shaking my shoulders.

I gasped, my eyes flying open. I found that I was gripping Riku's forearms so tightly that the skin around my fingers had turned white. I immediately released him and sat back against the pillows, breathing heavily. Riku continued starring at me worriedly, waiting patiently for me to calm down. I finally managed a weak smile and muttered, "Sorry…"

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, just shook up a little is all. I'm okay, really."

I tried sitting up, but he pushed me back. I at first didn't understand, we had school after all, and then I noticed that he was looking at me oddly. He got up suddenly and disappeared into his bathroom for a moment. I waited, and when he came back I saw that he had a thermometer in his hand.

Great, sick _again_. I groaned and let my head fall back. He just chuckled and said, "Here…"

I took up the thermometer and placed it between my lips, waiting for the reading to come out. Finally, there was a beep, and he pulled it from my mouth and looked at what the reading was. He grimaced and said that it was a mild fever.

"Then I can still go to school, right?" I said, getting to a standing position. Which was a bad idea, I guess, because I immediately felt dizzy and fell back onto the bed. Riku laughed again and said, "I think it would be best if you stay here; at least for today."

I grumbled, but got back under his covers after a while. He told me he'd make sure to talk with Sora and get all my homework for me, so not to worry. I thanked him and settled into the comfort of the pillows. Sleep came again, and this time it was not interrupted by any nightmares. The only thing that happened throughout the day was Riku's mom coming in to check on me every couple of hours, trying to force feed me, or give me more medicine.

"I just want you better sweetie!" she cried, wrapping her arms around me, pulling me into her chest.

I choked out, "I really appreciate you letting me stay over!"

"Just focus on getting better! I'm making a really good dinner tonight and it won't be the same without you at the table!"

I suffered her hug for a few more seconds before she bustled out of the room, saying that she'd be back in another hour or two to check on me and bring me another glass of water.

It was another couple hours before Riku came back from school. Just in time, too. His mom had come back in, and was just about to give me another bone crushing hug, when he rescued me. When she had left, he strode over and said, "Sorry. Was she troublesome?"

"No." I said, reclining back against the pillows. "It's nice to know she cares."

Riku grimaced and took out the homework from his backpack. After he handed it to me, he caught my eyes and said seriously, "I talked with Sora."

I averted my gaze, mumbling, "What did he say?"

"Well…I don't really understand. Why was it so hard to tell him who you like? From what I can tell…you overreacted a bit."

The shame built up like bile in my throat. I wanted to heave. I was so disgusted with myself. I finally looked back at Riku with glimmering tear-filled eyes and said thickly, "I didn't mean to act like that! It's just that…"

The words stuck in my throat once again. I couldn't even spit it out in front of Riku! He studied me for a moment, his eyes piercing right through me. I finally choked out, "It's just that _Sora's_ the one that I like! I couldn't tell him! I wanted to, but I wouldn't let myself! When I pushed him, I…I had to run."

Riku had stilled, his eyes widening as the information sunk in. He seemed to be thinking hard about something. Finally he asked quietly, "Are you sure…?"

I gaped at him. What did that mean?! I finally stuttered, "Y-yeah. I don't know r-really when it started, but…I do. I really like him."

Something seemed to shift within him, because he suddenly drew back from me. I was about to ask what was wrong, but Riku beat me to it. The change happened again, he smiled and said in his calm soothing voice, "I understand…"

"Riku…" I started, but let my voice fade when I saw the look deep in his eyes. Understanding washed over me. I immediately leaned into him and wrapped my arms around his shoulders. I muttered sadly into his shoulder, "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

He stayed motionless in my arms for a while, but he did put his own arms comfortingly around my middle. We stayed like that for a while, letting the silence heal our wounds. When he drew away he smiled sadly and said, "Don't worry. I talked with him and he said that he's still coming over tonight so you guys can talk. Get some rest, before that, okay?"

_What can you do…?  
When the end has fainted…_

Without another word, he got up and left. I wanted to call after him, but I didn't know what else to say. Now I've hurt two of my friends. I curled into a ball under the covers, hugging my knees to my chest until the tears stopped. A feverish sleep claimed me shortly after, engulfing me in another dream.

Sora's POV:

After Ahiro and I had gotten back to my house, I went upstairs and toweled off bitterly. Why couldn't he just spit it out!! All I wanted was to know who it was that he liked! Was that really so hard?! I threw the damp towel against the wall, feeling my heart pound against my ribs. I sank to the ground, taking in deep breaths as I went, forcing myself to calm.

When I had regained enough composure, I chanced a venture downstairs. The rain had made the temperature drop considerably over the past hour or so. I shivered as I made my way across the living room to the front door, calling out Ahiro's name as I went. There was no answer. Rubbing my arms in confusion I peeked down the hallway and saw something that made my blood run cold.

The door had been left open after I had come in, and there was absolutely no sign of Ahiro anywhere. My heart stilled in my chest as I froze in fear. Why could nothing I did ever turn out right? I bolted out the door and down the crowded path to the wide open gate to the road where I looked around wildly. No sign of him. I turned back and ran to the house, making a beeline for the phone. I shakily dialed in Riku's number and waited impatiently for him to pick up.

"Hello?" came Riku's sleep filled voice.

"Ahiro ran away!" I exclaimed breathlessly.

There was silence for a moment, and then Riku asked groggily, "What in the worlds are you talking about, Sora? It's the middle of the night!"

"I know that, but Ahiro and I had a fight, and then he just disappeared! I don't know where he went, but…oh it's my fault! I shouldn't have said those things!"

Silence again and then he asked gravely, "He really did run away, then? Sora…if he's hurt…"

"I know…" I whispered thickly.

All that could be heard was the faint rain hitting the roof. Finally, on Riku's end, I could hear a distant knocking on his front doors. I let out a sigh of relief. Riku muttered, "I'll see you tomorrow at school."

After he had hung up, in almost a trance, I shut the front door, went upstairs, and crawled into bed, waiting for sleep to claim me, which it didn't. I was expecting, when I got to school the next day, that I'd have to try the entire day to avoid Ahiro, but he wasn't there. Riku told me that he had caught a cold and he made him stay in bed. He then proceeded to ask me about what happened the other night to make Ahiro run. I was embarrassed, but told him the whole story.

"I just couldn't understand why he couldn't tell me."

I glanced up at Riku who was sitting on top of the table looking off into the crowds of students around us. He was obviously annoyed that I had been so rude, but also confused as to why Ahiro would act like that. He told me he'd talk with Ahiro before I came over for the dinner.

The rest of the day couldn't go by fast enough. Maybe after Riku talks things over with him, he'll open up. I was so impatient to get to Riku's house that I got ready an hour ahead and then proceeded to sit in my living room until it was fifteen till. I hoped Ahiro would talk.

I knocked on the door right at eight. But before I could even step back, it had burst open, and Riku came barreling out, nearly knocking me down. I steadied him and asked worriedly, "What is it?!"

He was struggling with putting his coat on, and only when he was off again did I hear, "Ahiro wasn't in his room when I went in to tell him to get ready. That's when I saw him in a boat heading out to the play island."

He looked back and met my newly terrified gaze. His parents came out on the entranceway just as the two of us disappeared around the corner at a sprint.

Ahiro's POV:

I have to stop it! There's no time to wait. I thought desperately as I paddled as hard as I could over the rolling waves. The Kingdom Hearts on the play island isn't real! Whatever it is, it's been created by Maleficent. Not the Maleficent from the past, but the one from this time.

I had been sleeping and having that weird dream again when a clear voice rang out that told me that this other portal is dangerous. It's evil, and if I didn't get over there soon, it would sort of explode with darkness. Heartless would tear through Destiny Islands, destroying everything. I couldn't take the time to tell Riku, I had to go now.

The bottom of the boat scraped against sand as I landed on the beach. I pushed my wet bangs away from my face and stumbled out into the water. I tugged the boat as hard as I could, but finally gave up when I realized I was too weak to get it up. Throwing it to the side I sloshed through the shallows onto the sand. It squished between the toes of my bare feet as I strode forward, toward the evil that was trying to take over my home.

Already this…Anti-Kingdom Hearts was trying to take over. Heartless materialized in front of me. I growled, "You're not welcome here."

I quickly slashed my keyblade through the air, pointing it at each creature one by one. It felt like some kind of power rose within me, and when I leveled my keyblade at one of them, a bright light appeared and vaporized them. I jogged up the rest of the way, getting rid of any heartless that tried to stop me. Finally, I stood before the entrance to the secret cave.

Should I really go in? I wondered to myself, hesitating. I saw what happened in the end of my dream. I would fail. I shook my head fiercely. That wasn't going to happen. This had to be stopped no matter what, and only I knew how. I'd change everything.

I dashed forward, ducking into the cave. I sprinted through as fast as I could, and then skidded to a stop in front of the door. Breathing heavily, I stared at it with contempt. It was quiet in the cave, aside from my breathing and the whispering wind. I finally whispered, "Let's end this."

Before I could even raise my keyblade, there was a blast of noise and the wind roared, pushing me toward the door. It flew open, the darkness trying to suck me in. I cried out exasperatedly and dug my heels into the ground. I stood there like that for a while, teetering. Finally, I felt my feet losing their grip. My eyes widened in shock. The darkness seemed to notice too, because the force pulling me in grew stronger yet.

_For everything that's light…there is dark…_

The sound coming from deep in the darkness was like a thousand screaming people all at once, crying out to me. I cried, "No! I won't give in!"

I was growing weaker, however. My legs were shaking with the effort of holding myself in place. I leveled my keyblade at the center of the open door and tried to lock it, but for some reason, it wouldn't work. I stared dumbstruck at the tip of my keyblade as I slid closer to the entrance of the anti-Kingdom Hearts. I tried over and over again, but nothing happened.

Tears escaped and cascaded down my cheeks as I continued to try. Everyone…I'm sorry, I thought as I skidded still closer to the endless darkness. I squeezed my eyes tightly shut, willing my grip to hold just a bit longer. The power grew suddenly, and I felt my feet lift off the ground, and I went flying forward. I threw my arms up and closed my eyes, waiting for the shadows to swallow me, the door sealing me in this dark, evil place. I only had enough time to cry out Sora's name.

Something grabbed the hem of my oversized pajama t-shirt, stopping me. I glanced wildly over my shoulder, the tears still slipping silently down my cheeks. I gazed in disbelief at Sora, gripping my shirt with all his strength. The darkness let out a blood curdling scream again and doubled the effort of pulling me in. I looked further and saw Riku holding Sora's other hand, while also grasping a large tree root that extended from the top of the cave to the ground.

I smiled in utter relief. My friends saved me. Sora grunted with the effort of wrenching me back toward them. I twisted around and strained to grab onto his arm, finally gripping it. I locked eyes with him, and saw everything in them; his hurt, love, fear, and every other emotion running through him.

Slowly, Sora was able to haul me into his arms, and then we both (supported by Riku) forced our feet to carry us to the root. I could barely hold on I was so wiped out. Sora thankfully stood pressed against me, holding me in place. He held me as he called out over the wind, "What the hell is that?"

"I'm not quite sure. But, I think it's like an anti-Kingdom Hearts!" I yelled back, tightening my arms around the root, attempting to relieve some of the weight off of Sora.

"How do we get rid of it?!" Riku asked loudly.

"We have to seal it!"

"Right!" they both said at once, giving each other that look that conveyed so much.

They both then linked arms with me, and I knew that we were going to do it together. Digging our feet into the ground, we called out our keyblades in sync. Then, we pointed together and a blinding white-blue light erupted out from the tips. It shot forward, the stream seeming to go on and on, deeper into the darkness, until it finally exploded with the light. The thousands of voices screamed in agony.

The next thing I knew, we were knocked back by an enormous blast. Everything was silent once again. I peered around in astonishment as the dust settled. The door was closed once again. I looked closer and saw that a small keyhole had appeared. Sora and Riku both pushed themselves up to gaze at me. Then Sora blurted, "What were you thinking, coming here alone?! Are you insane!?"

I just grinned and wrapped my arms around both of them, squeezing them as hard as I could. I whispered, "I'm sorry…"

Sora patted me awkwardly and slipped out from under me, blushing furiously. I realized what I had done and looked at the ground, my cheeks burning. I sat up on my knees and said, "I guess you want to know how I knew that was here."

"Yeah, and-" Sora started, but Riku cut in, "I'm going to head out. I'm too tired to hear this, now. I'm going back to my house to go to sleep."

He stood up and headed for the cave's exit. Sora and I starred after him before Sora stood and offered his hand to me. He said sheepishly, "I guess we could still talk. We were going to anyway, so…"

"Okay."

He helped me out of the cave to the open sky once again, one hand around my middle, keeping me from collapsing. I didn't think I was that drained of energy until I'd tried telling him I was fine and walking on my own. That didn't work of course. We settled on the sand shortly after.

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a/n: That waas sweeet!!! =3

a/n2: Yeah, the shmex chappie is next.

a/n: Yaya!! .


	19. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: We do not own KH.

a/n: AAAAHHHHH!!!! This is the last chappie!!!!!

a/n2: Yup. It's like it just flew by...

a/n: ;o

a/n2: I want to dedicate this chappie to a fellow perv that helped me a lot near the end of this story. Their advice was much appreciated. So, Radicall8, this last chappie is for you.

a/n: Awwwwww!!! I never knew you were capable of these kinds of emotions!!!

a/n2: *punches* That one is me being annoyed.

a/n: Hahaha!! Arn't you about to explode from emotion overload just about now?! Hahaha!!!!

a/n2: *fumes silently*

a/n: Anyways, Happy Readings!!!!

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Sora's POV:

Ahiro sighed heavily and asked, "Are we gonna have to tell the King about this…?"

I nodded but turned and grinned crookedly saying, "Let's wait until tomorrow, though."

"Yeah…"

Again silence, the waves crashing on the shore the only sound. I glanced at him from the corner of my eye and saw him sitting with his knees against his chest, the look on his face telling me that he was worrying about something. I had a feeling about what it might be, but couldn't bring myself to say something. The awkwardness hung in the air like an axe.

"About the other day…" I mumbled, my voice cracking slightly, "I'm…sorry."

Ahiro's head snapped up to look at me, I didn't look away. I tried to say everything I wanted in my eyes. He seemed to understand. He shook his head and chuckled to himself, and I watched as he ran a hand through his hair. Just then I saw how much older he seemed to have gotten since the first time I met him.

I was about to start talking about a different topic, other than the extremely awkward thing that happened yesterday, when Ahiro suddenly blurted, "I'm sorry too. I haven't…told you the truth about…"

I gazed in confusion over at him. He threw me a worried look, and then sighed in exasperation, standing shakily. He ran a hand through his hair, glanced one more time at me, his mouth opening and closing, and then walked off. I wasn't sure I understood what he was trying to get at, but all I knew is that I couldn't stand him running away from me again. I immediately jumped to my feet and jogged after him.

He didn't get far before I caught hold of his elbow and gently turned him around. He was flushed I noticed. I asked softly, trying to get him to meet my gaze, "Ahiro…what is it? You can tell me."

"I…" he began, choking on the simple word. "…I've been holding something back from you for a while, now. I don't know exactly when I started feeling this way about you, but all I know is that it feels right. Sora, I…"

His onyx-blue eyes gazed into my own unflinchingly. My breath seemed to stick in my throat. He took a step toward me, taking in one last shaky breath before whispering, "I think I love you…"

Those words felt like the ring of a bell, the vibrations of which ran throughout my whole body, making me numb. Never before had I felt like this. I was literally stunned. He continued gazing into my eyes, searching for any sign of discomfort, still inching closer. Before I knew it, I felt our hands intertwining, our bodies pressing against each other, and our breaths on each other's lips.

I broke the contact between one of our hands and reached up to stroke his cheek. His eyes closed in happiness as he leaned into my touch. I could only smile and lean in so our foreheads bumped together. I mumbled softly, "I've loved you for a long time, Ahiro. You have no idea how happy I am right now."

His eyes opened and he smirked, "I think I have a little clue."

I grinned sheepishly, feeling my heart flutter as we stared into each other's eyes. My body felt like it was being pulled in by some magnetic force, not that I was complaining. I just couldn't stop myself. But just as I could almost taste his lips on mine, he pulled away. My eyes shot open in confusion, but I only laughed when I saw him beckoning me toward him, pulling his shirt over his head. My heart thumped again as I drank in how beautiful his skin was in the pale moonlight. It almost seemed to shimmer.

I gave him a crooked smile and removed my own shirt, following him as he slowly backed in to the water. The waves splashed up against his heels as he stepped in and he cried out, "It's cold!"

"You're getting your pants wet!" I called to him, laughter in my voice.

He came to a sudden stop in the shallow water and gave me a look. I realized then what he was suggesting. Without speaking, I tentatively reached down to my belt and began unclasping. Without breaking eye contact, I gripped the top of my pants and pushed down, the fabric caressing my hips as they dropped to the sand with a hushed thud. I stepped out of them and stood clad in only boxers. Ahiro seemed to have frozen, completely captivated with my body. I wasn't embarrassed surprisingly. I _wanted_ him to look.

I took one step forward, and he mirrored it, seemingly in a trance. I continued advancing until we were close enough again for me to be able to kiss his forehead. It was so unreal how confident I felt about this. I had no idea what I was doing, but I kept telling myself that it didn't matter.

I placed my hands on his arms, rubbing softly, letting them fall down to his stomach, then back up to his chest. Goosebumps erupted all over his body wherever my fingers touched. I could feel a warm tingling sensation spring up in my stomach, slowly spreading. I laughed nervously, still not believing this was happening. I refused to stop touching him; it was like a drug. I couldn't get enough of him. My hands ghosted over every part of bare skin, unable to stop.

His hands joined in, and I could feel my body shaking. And after a moment, he pushed me gently away, removing his own pants. We stood almost naked, barely a few inches apart, and completely comfortable with it. I was breathing heavily, my chest rising and falling rapidly as I drank the sight of him in. I almost couldn't believe that this was happening.

I asked in a disbelieving whisper, "Is this for real?"

Ahiro gulped and nodded, a nervous blush developing on his cheeks. He couldn't meet my eyes as he said softly, "I'm getting really warm…even when we're not touching…"

I could feel my stomach flip. I was getting warmer too. We were both blushing now, trying to hide our uncomfortable problems. Suddenly, Ahiro spun on his heel and dashed into the water until he was up to his chin, then he ducked under the surface. I waited anxiously for him to resurface, but when I saw that he wasn't coming back up, I dove in after. I found him sitting on the ocean floor, grinning up at me. I just gave him a look and hooked my arm in his, dragging him back.

When we surfaced, I said, "You're an idiot."

He just grinned and wiped away the bangs clinging to his forehead and muttered, "I thought it might cool me down, but, it didn't work…"

"I don't think it'll ever stop, now." I whispered after a moment's pause. We were leaning forward now, lost in the passion that we had for each other. I didn't even think when I caught up his lips and started kissing fiercely. I was so relieved when I did, though. I've been harboring these feelings for way too long.

However, the magic was broken when our heads dipped below the surface, filling our noses with salt water. I came back up spluttering and laughing. Deftly, I started back toward shallower water. I didn't make it to the shore before Ahiro had grabbed me, and tackled me to the sand. This wasn't like him, but I definitely didn't mind. Our bodies rubbed together rhythmically. Neither of us cared anymore about how weird this was. Ahiro straddling my hips was all that I was focused on.

My hands gripped his shoulders, eliminating any space between us. Then, when I still felt it wasn't enough, I flipped him over onto his back, so now I was resting between his legs. We broke apart, panting heavily. I gazed into his big eyes and asked silently if this was okay. He nodded without any hesitation, and before I knew it, he reached down and placed his hand delicately over the bulge in my shorts. My eyes widened at his boldness. He sat up slightly, pulling my down by the neck so his lips were right next to my ear. I shivered as I felt his hot break tickling the hairs on the back of my neck. I then felt his eager mouth close onto the skin just under my earlobe, sucking gently. I was so shocked. My body shivered with the force of the pleasure, and I couldn't help but let out a gasping moan.

When he pulled back, I was shaking uncontrollably. He reached up and tenderly cupped my cheek in his hand, a small smile on his lips. His eyes sparkled as he asked, "Did that feel good?"

"How did…?" I asked completely flabbergasted.

He shrugged and said offhandedly, "Whenever my Father came home, he brought someone. They weren't exactly quiet."

I gaped down at him. My old tutor, who was younger than me by a year, knew more about this stuff than me. I exhaled heavily and shook my head. He just punched me playfully in the shoulder. That's when I decided to be bold.

"Teach me how to make you feel good?" I whispered in a husky voice.

He shuddered under me and nodded. I then proceeded to rock against him, both our erections rubbing together stimulating the growing heat. He moaned, wrapped his legs and arms around me. I had no idea anything could feel so good. It wasn't at all when I masturbated…it was real. My arms on the side of his head were shaking by the time he stilled us.

He gazed with lust filled eyes, and our lips collided. Our tongues slid together, wrapping around each other and exploring mouths. I pulled mine out slightly to take a breather; I took the opportunity to lick his lips playfully.

He murmured sheepishly, "I really don't know what I'm doing, you know…"

"It's okay, I don't either!" I shrugged, grinning crookedly.

A sweet smile creased his lips and he leaned in for another kiss. This time I made it a tender one, to show him how much he meant to me. We finally parted and I said suddenly, "We should probably get naked."

He gave me that look, then laughed, and nodded. He reached down quickly and pushed his pants down. My stomach got butterflies as soon as I felt his naked member pressing against my still clothed one. It was still feeling unreal. I closed my eyes and pushed my own down. As soon as I could feel him pressed against me, I couldn't breathe.

When I gathered my wits again, I saw that Ahiro was gazing up at me with heavily lidded eyes. He murmured, "I want you…"

I gulped, feeling my stomach fall away. I shakily reached between our legs, not sure what to do, and took hold of both our members and began stroking unsurely. Ahiro squirmed beneath me, his face flushing as he dug his nails into the sand. My hips rocked involuntarily, and soon I forgot about being nervous.

My body was feeling hot all over, and I could feel pressure building. I knew Ahiro was close too, and I didn't want us to go yet, so I suddenly let go, gasping at the loss of pleasure. Ahiro blinked up at me blearily, question in his eyes. I answered him by moving my hand further down, to where his entrance was. It clenched as I brushed over it. For the first time he looked worried. I was too. I had no idea how much this would hurt. I've never done anything like this before.

I started pulling my hand away, but Ahiro suddenly reached down and gripped it, shaking his head. He whispered, barely audible over the sound of the waves, "I want to do this."

I nodded, and began again, this time, prodding. He winced and said, "It feels weird, that's all…"

It was hard trying to get my finger inside him. Every few centimeters, he'd clench and I wouldn't be able to move it. I pulled out and said blushing, "It's too…dry."

He stared up at me for a moment, and then motioned for me to give him my hand. I obliged and he took two into his mouth, sucking gently. I could feel my body get warm once again. Once they were lubed enough, he released me and lay back, bracing himself. I didn't want this to be painful. Leaning down, I licked his nipple. He gasped in surprise, but didn't comment, so I continued. Sucking, licking, and biting. He wriggled under me, moaning. That's when I inserted my first finger. He hissed slightly, but shook his head when I started pulling out.

"It's not that bad." He breathed.

I nibbled on his nipple again, and he made a mewling sound, his entrance opening up. I smirked and continued. Soon he was pushing back against my hand, and I inserted another finger. He barely noticed which I was glad for.

His smooth thigh was pressed against my erection, so as we rocked together, it got harder. Finally, I couldn't hold it back any longer and I asked anxiously, "You ready?"

He nodded. I kneeled in front of his entrance and took in a deep breath. Gently, I put his legs up over my shoulders, trying to make it a little more painless. Then, I guided my head to his pink hole and pressed. He winced, but I continued pushing. Soon, I was all the way in. I was panting heavily, trying desperately to hold back my desire for him. It was so warm and tight! I could feel my dick throbbing with excitement.

I muttered through clenched teeth, "I have to wait a sec…"

It felt like a year before I was able to start moving again. At least Ahiro was used to me by now. He laughed nervously and said, "Y-you're…inside me…"

"Yeah…" I mumbled sheepishly, pushing and pulling my member out carefully.

Only when Ahiro's face no longer had any trace of pain in it, did I start going any faster. It was torturous for me, but I didn't want to hurt him. I rotated my hips, feeling a jolt of pleasure run through me as I did. I joined in with Ahiro's moans of ecstasy.

Soon, we found ourselves gasping and clawing at each other, rolling around in the sand feeling the waves brush against our legs. Our sweaty bodies were as close as we could make them, gyrating and grinding rhythmically. I seemed to lose myself in the feeling of him going up and down on my shaft, his entrance wet and hot.

We were now in a position where I had myself propped up in a sitting position, an arm behind to support myself, the other clutching Ahiro's lower back. His hands were resting on my shoulders, the fingernails digging into my skin painfully. His legs were on either side of me, supporting him as he rocked against me. My own hips were pushing up into him as he came down on me.

"Ah! Ah! Oh, Sora!" he cried, wrapping his arms around my neck. He feverishly leaned down and kissed me hard.

"Ha…Mnn! Ahiro…" I breathed heavily.

I couldn't hold it back any longer. I cried out, "Ahiro, I'm gonna-!"

And suddenly, I could feel him filling with my cum. He didn't stop until after I'd stopped shaking. But that's when I noticed that he hadn't. I immediately pulled out of him and grabbed his length, stroking vehemently while my other hand busied itself with his dripping entrance. After a few minutes, his head tipped back and he screamed my name, cum shooting out of his head onto my chest. I held him close as he orgasmed, gently pulling on his member as it slowly went limp.

We both trembled in each other's arms for a few minutes, still trying to gather our wits. Ahiro was the first to say something. He pressed his forehead to mine and whispered, "That was incredible…"

I laughed shakily and kissed him, falling back to the sand to rest. He fell next to me and sighed, his hand absentmindedly stroking my still rapidly rising and falling chest. When the ringing stopped in my ears, I cleared my throat and whispered hoarsely, "Ahiro…I love you."

I continued gazing up at the stars as his head snapped up to look at me. I was too embarrassed. He nestled in closer and mumbled back, "I've loved you for so long…"

I wrapped my arms around him protectively, and we continued lying there, gazing up at the stars until I knew we had to go and get some sleep. We cleaned ourselves off quickly in the water and found our clothes scattered on the beach and dressed, stealing kisses every so often. Then, we got in paddle boats and started for the mainland.

After we'd climbed into bed and I could feel my consciousness slipping, I mumbled softly, "I love you." He was already asleep, but I had to do it just one more time before the new day.

When I opened my eyes the next morning, the first thing I saw was Ahiro, sleeping peacefully. I smiled and quietly slipped out of bed, careful not to disturb him. Once I'd made it to the hallway, I sighed happily, and padded across the wood flooring to the study. There, I hurriedly found what I was looking for and pressed the 'send' button. There was a short series of rings, and then a familiar silly voice said, "This is the, uh, King's line, A-hyuck, Goofy speaking. What can I do for ya?"

"Hi Goofy! It's Sora…how's it going?!" I answered excitedly.

"Sora?! Well, gawrsh, wasn't expectin' you to call _this_ soon."

"I wasn't either, trust me." I grumbled. "But we have an emergency. Maleficent's up to no good again, and we need to tell the King about something that happened yesterday."

"Gawrsh, Sora, sounds urgent. I'll go find the King for ya right away, A-hyuck."

"Thanks Goofy. Say hi to Donald and the Queen for me, would ya?"

He bid me farewell, then set the phone. I yawned and stretched while I waited. I was taken off-guard when the King's high pitched voice suddenly asked loudly from the other end, "Sora, what's going on?!"

I shook my head slightly before continuing. Then I told him all about what happened on the play island. Ahiro still hadn't told me about a few of the details, but I told the King that I'd have Ahiro contact him later.

"You need to get some rest too Sora!" the King said giggling.

I smiled and shook my head, "I'm fine, and it's Ahiro I'm worried about. He's been through a lot in a short amount of time, much more than either me or Riku combined."

"You're right. Keep an eye on him, Sora, he's important."

"I know…"

"Well, talk to you later, then!"

"Yeah, bye…!"

I pressed the end button and watched as the little device collapsed into a small cube. I placed it back where I stored it, stood up, and yawned, glancing out the window at the sun hovering in the sky. My stomach roared just at that moment, and I grinned, heading for the kitchen. Maybe some eggs and bacon this morning, I thought, smiling as I imagined what Ahiro would say when he woke up to a feast.

The sun was already warming the house pleasantly by the time I jumped down the last of the stairs into the living room. I smiled involuntarily as the sun warmed my skin while I stepped through the archway into the kitchen. But, when my eyes fell on Riku sitting idly at my counter, it faltered.

We gazed at each other for a moment before I muttered, "Morning…"

He nodded curtly and gave me a once over. Something seemed to solidify in his mind because his lips pursed tightly. He took a few deep breaths before mumbling softly, "Take care of him…"

My heart seemed to clench as his words hit me. He got up to leave, and just as he was turning to go around the corner to the front door, I called, "We can all go to the island tomorrow…together…?"

He stilled and turned slowly to face me, his eyes met mine, the sparkle back and he said, "Definitely…"

Then he left. I smiled sadly and shook my head as I turned back to get breakfast started. I thought sadly, Please…whatever's out there…help Riku find someone to make him as happy as he deserves.

When I'd just finished getting the bacon just the right amount of crispy, I heard Ahiro's light steps stumble down the stairs. He muttered something groggily, and then came into view, his tousled midnight black hair sticking up everywhere. My heart fluttered and I called over, "Hungry?"

"Starved…" he answered sleepily. I flashed him a crooked smile before fixing him a plate and sitting next to him. We ate in silence. And all I could do was think about how lucky I was to finally be in love. Honest to gods, love.

_Our eyes met, our bodies grew warm, and our lips met._

_I love him. He loves me. _

_The end._

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a/n: Well...*sniffles*...that's it. Its over!

a/n2: This' been fun. I really liked this story personally.

a/n: Yeah, well done my friend.

a/n2: Thank you.

a/n: Alrighty, then, we hope to see all you readers in our next story!!! Good luck, and HAPPY READINGS ALWAYS!!!!!!


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